The history of Wales, written originally in British

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THE

of Offitafe*.

WRITTEN ORIGINALLY IN BRITISH BY CARADOC OF LLANCARVAN;
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY DR. POWELL;

AUGMENTED

/

BY W. WYNNE, FELLOW OF JESUS COLLEGE, OXON.;

REVISED AND CORRECTED, AND A COLLECTION OF

TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTICES

ATTACHED THERETO,

I ' !

BY | RICHARD LLWYD, GENT.

OF LLANNERCH-BROCHWEL, IN THE COUNTY OF MONTGOMERY.

SHREWSBURY:

PRINTED BY JOHN EDDOWES, CORN-MAKKET.

MDCCCXXXII.

ADVERTISEMENT,

The late Mr. RICHARD LLWYD, when he revised Mr. WYNNE'S
History, and compiled the Topographical Notices which are now
appended thereto, had also an intention of entering at some length
into the Biography of Owen Glyndwr, and of giving a sketch of
the ancient Laws, Customs, and Amusements of Wales. The
publication, however, of Mr. Thomas's Life of Glyndwr, and the
appearance of several excellent essays, fyc. in the Cambro-Briton
and various periodical works on the other subjects alluded to,
having rendered it unnecessary to re-state that which had been so
recently brought before the public, he, in the present volume,
confined himself to the republication of the History of Wales, as
given by Mr. WYNNE, contenting himself with modernising the
language, supplying notes of reference, and occasionally intro-
ducing notes explanatory or corrective of Mr. WYNNE'S text. To
this revised edition of the History, he added a selection of
Topographical Notices relative to the several Counties, which,
while they are calculated to amuse and inform the reader, will
also be found to throw much additio?ial light on the history and
manners of the Cambro-Britons of former days, and give at the
same time a tolerably correct view of the present state of the
Principality. To enable him to make these notices more copious,
and to do so without augmenting unnecessarily the price of the
work, Mr. LLWYD omitted some appendages formerly attached to
r. Wynnes History, but which, while they were in themselves of
nature to be of little interest at any period, have now, by reason
of the facts therein referred to having been of late years much more
clearly elucidated by writers in publications of very general circu-
lation, become obsolete and disregarded. It is, therefore, hoped,
that the present edition of the HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF WALES
will be favourably received; and that the good intentions of its
deceased compiler will be accepted as an apology for any errors or
omissions that may be discovered by the historian, the antiquarian,
or the topographer.

JANUARY, 1832.

THE

HISTORY OF WALES.

W HEN the Roman empire, under Valentlnian the
younger, began to decline, and became sensibly unable
to repress the perpetual incursions of the Goths, Huns,
Vandals, and other barbarous invaders, it was found neces-
sary to abandon the remotest parts of that unwieldy body,
and to recal the Roman forces that defended them, the
better to secure the interior and the provinces most exposed
to the depredations of the barbarians. And in this exigency
of the Roman affairs, Britain, as lying far remote from the
heart of the empire, was deprived of the Roman garrisons ;
which, being transported into Gaul upon more urgent
occasions, left it naked and exposed to the inveterate cruelty
of the Scots and Picts : for no sooner had they understood
of the departure of the Romans out of Britain, and that the
Britons were to expect no further help from the empire,
but they descended in greater numbers than formerly, and
with greater courage and expectation, being now rid of the
fear they entertained of the Roman legions, who always
used to hinder their progress and to prevent their incursions
into the Roman province. The Britons, perceiving their
ancient and implacable enemies falling upon them, and
finding themselves far too weak to repel their endless
devastations, they, with a lamentable narrative of their own
miseries and the cruel oppressions of their enemies, sent
over to Gaul, imploring aid of ^Etius, prefect of that
province ; who, being moved with the deplorable condition
of their province, despatched over a legion under the com-
mand of Gallio, which unexpectedly surprising the Scots
and Picts, forced them, with great loss and destruction,
to retire over the seas or friths to their own habitations.
Then, helping the Britons to build a wall of stone across

the

I HISTORY OF WALES.

the land, for a bulwark against any future irruptions, the
Romans at their departure told them they could not any
more undertake such dangerous expeditions for their de-
fence, and therefore admonished them to take arms, and
like men vindicate their country, their wives, children, and
liberties, from the injuries of their barbarous enemies.

But as soon as the Roman legion was transported into
Gaul, the Picts and Scots returned, and having by a de-
sperate assault passed the wall, pursued the Britons with a
more dreadful and bloody slaughter than formerly. The
Britons, perceiving their condition most desperate, once
more sent their miserable complaints to ^Etius, in these
tragical words : " To SEtius, thrice consul, the groans of
the Britons : the barbarians drive us to the sea, and the
sea drives us back to them , and so, distracted betwixt two
deaths, we are either drowned or perish by the sword.*
But they solicited to no purpose : the Romans having al-
ready bid absolutely farewell to Britain, and the empire
being cruelly oppressed by the Goths and other barbarous
nations, they were not in a condition possibly to assist them.
The Britons, therefore, finding themselves absolutely for-
saken by the Romans, and conceiving it utterly impracticable
to drive away the barbarians by their own strength, saw it
urgently necessary to call in the aid of some foreign nation,
whose labour in repelling their enemies should be gratefully
and satisfactorily rewarded.

The reason that the British nation was at this time so
weak and impotent, and so manifestly unable to withstand
these barbarous enemies, who were far inferior as to extent
of country, and probably in number of people, may in great
measure be attributed to the ease and quietness the Britons
enjoyed under the Roman government. For whilst the
Roman legions continued in Britain, they ever undertook the
security and preservation of it ; so that the Britons hereto-
fore were little concerned at the incursions of the Scots and
Picts, depending wholly upon the strength and valour of the
Romans, insomuch that, within a while, they fell into a fit
of luxury and effeminacy, and quickly forgot that martial
prowess and military conduct which their ancestors so
famously excelled in. For, after their entire subjection to
the Romans, they had little or no opportunity to exercise
their valour, excepting in some home-bred commotions
excited by the aspiring ambition of some mal-eontented
general, which were quickly composed and reduced to
nothing. And after the Scots and Picts grew formidable,

and
* Bede, lib. 1, cap. xiii. p. 51.— Gildas, cap. xvii. — Giraldus Cambrensis, lib. 7, p. 42.

HISTORY OF WALES.

and durst venture to make incursions into the Roman pro-
vince, the Britons were the least concerned in opposing
them, leaving that to the care and vigilancy of the Roman
garrisons. And this easiness and supineness of the Britons
may not be untruly attributed to the policy of the Roman
constitution ; for when the Britons were brought subject to
the empire, the first thing the Romans effected towards the
confirmation of their obedience was to take the sword out of
their hands. They were sensible how bold and valorous
the Britons naturally were — how unlikely to submit their
necks to a foreign yoke ; and therefore they found it imprac-
ticable to obtain a quiet possession of this province, as long
as the Britons had power and opportunity to oppose them.
This course, therefore, they found very effectual, and when
they had once lulled them asleep, they were not over-
solicitous to rouse and awaken them.

The Britons also might possibly be too much taken with
this sedentary and inactive life ; and as long as they lived
secure under the protection of the Roman empire, they
little feared their country would become a prey to any
barbarous nation. No one would have imagined that that
glorious empire would be so soon crushed to pieces, which
could not otherwise be effected than by the insupportable
pressure of its own weight. The apprehension of the great-
ness and strength of the Romans made the Britons probably
less solicitous of enabling themselves to defend their coun-
try, not thinking they would ever forsake and relinquish the
province of Britain : but to their sorrow they experienced
the contrary, the affairs of the empire elsewhere requiring
the help of the British legions, so that they were left
exposed to the cruelties of the northern invaders, having
not as yet recovered any power or conduct to oppose them.
For had not the Scots and Picts come on so forcibly at first,
but had given time to the Britons to shake off the lethargy
they had for many years been buried in, and to renew their
ancient discipline and vigour, there had been no need of
calling in the Saxons, seeing they would in all probability
have been able to maintain their ground against any opposi-
tion, and very likely would have been in possession of their
whole country to this time. But, next to the decree of
heaven, the ruin of the British nation must be attributed to
its too much luxury and effeminacy, and to the universal
lapse of the nobility and people into an aversion of all
military action and martial discipline. For though a con-
tinued peace be in itself desirable, yet oftentimes nothing

tends
B 2

HISTORY OF WALES.

tends more to the future ruin and downfall of a nation.
For peace begets in men generally a habit of looseness and
debauchery, and is the occasion of many notorious extra-
vagancies and vicious practices, which weaken their hands
and cool their courage and greatness of mind, so that in
case of any open danger they are incapable of defending
their country, and unfit to oppose the common enemy.
Scarce any kingdom or nation was subverted, but the ruin
of it was ushered in by these means : witness the Assyrian
under Sardanapalus, the Persian under Darius, and the
Egyptian under Cleopatra ; so that it was most prudently
urged by a Roman senator that Carthage might not be
demolished, lest that, for want of an enemy abroad, the
valour of the Romans might degenerate, and their conduct
be forgotten. Had the Britons had the fortune to be con-
tinually in action, and not exchanged their courage and
discipline for ease and laziness, they would have had no
reason to dread the incursions of the Scots and Picts, nor
any need of the aid and assistance of a foreign nation ; but
the condition of their affairs then required it, and help must
be had, or else their country must unavoidably become a
prey to those northern invaders.

To prevent, therefore, and repel their violence, King
Vortigern held a council of his great men and nobles, at
which it was concluded to be most advantageous to the
Britons to invite the Saxons out of Germany to their aid,
who, in all probability, would gladly embrace the oppor-
tunity, by reason that their own country was grown too
scanty for their superfluous numbers. This message of the
Britons, however originally delivered, is by an ancient
Saxon writer repeated in this manner : — " Most noble
Saxons, the miserable Britons, shattered and quite worn
out by the frequent incursions of their enemies, upon
the news of your many signal victories, have sent us to
you, humbly requesting that you would assist them at
'this juncture. A land large and spacious, abounding
with all manner of necessaries, they give up entirely to
your disposal. Hitherto we have lived happily under
the government and protection of the Romans'. Next to
the Romans we know none of greater valour than your-
selves, and therefore in your arms do now seek refuge.
Let but that courage and those arms make us conquerors,
and we shall refuse no service you shall please to impose™
To this message the Saxons returned this short answer : —
fc Assure yourselves the Saxons will be true friends to
the Britons, and as such shall be ahvays ready both to
relieve their necessities and to advance their interest"

The

HISTORY OF WALES. 5

The Saxons being thus happily courted to what them-
selves had a thousand times wished for, arrived soon after
in Britain, in three gallies, called in their own language
Kiules, under the conduct of two brethren, Hengist and
Horsa.* Being honourably received by the king, and
affectionately treated by the people, their faith was given
on both sides ; the Saxons stipulating to defend the country
of the Britons, and the Britons to give the Saxons a satis-
factory reward for all the pains and dangers they should
undergo upon their account. At first the Saxons shewed
themselves very diligent in their employment, and success-
fully repelled the Scots and Picts, who, being probably
ignorant of the landing of the Saxons, and fearing no oppo-
sition, boldly advanced to the heart of the country. But
when the Saxons became better acquainted with the island,
and happily discovered the weakness and inability of the
Britons, under pretence that their pay was not answerable
to their service and deserts, they quarrelled with the Britons,
and, instead of siipporting them according to oath, entered
into a league with their e-nemies the Scots. Moreover,
Hengist, perceiving with whom tie had to do, sent over to
acquaint his countrymen with the beauty and fertility of the
island, and the infirmity and effeminacy of the inhabitants ;
inviting them to be sharers of his future success and ex-
pectations. With his invitation they readily complied, and
sailing over in great numbers they thought to take posses-
sion of that country, which fortune promised should be their
own : but they found that they must fight for it first ; the
Britons having resolved to defend themselves and their
country to the last against these treacherous practices of the
Saxons, and, if possible, to drive them to their primitive
habitations. For when the Britons became sensible of the
undermining aim of the Saxons, how they secretly endea-
voured the total extirpation of the British nation, they
presently betook themselves to their swords, and in a short
time became signally famous for their valour and conduct.
This the Saxons afterwards grievously felt, though the total
recovery of Britain proved impracticable for want of power;

the

* These were princes of great distinction. They were the descendants of Woden, the
founder of the nation, and regarded by the Saxons as the deity who presided in war,
agreeably to the custom of the early ages, of paying divine honours to any distinguished
individual who had been the instrument of glory or of utility to his country. From
Woden is derived Wednesday, being the day dedicated to the honour of that Saxon
deity : Friday, likewise, is derived from the Saxon goddess Fria, being the day dedicated
to her worship. And in the same manner every other day in the week has taken its
derivation from the Saxon deities.— See Verstegan, cap. iii. p. 69, 77. Bede, lib. 1,
cap. xv. p. 53.

> HISTORY OF WALES.

the Saxons having, by massacres and other treacherous
means, most unmercifully lessened the force and number of
the Britons. King Vortigern loved his ease too well to
observe their practices, and besides became so foolishly
enamoured with the daughter of Hengist, who purposely
was laid to entrap him, that the Saxons upon the strength
of this marriage began to carve for themselves, and during
Vortigern's reign* laid so firm a foundation for the Saxon
conquest, that the succeeding British kings, though famously
valiant, could never undermine it. The sottishness of his
father young Vortimer could not at length endure, nor to
see himself and his country so openly and shamefully
imposed upon by strangers, and therefore he resolved to
take the British government upon himself, and to endeavour
the universal expulsion of the Saxons. With him the
British nobility willingly joined, and after several famous
victories over the Saxons he was unhappily poisoned by a
Saxon lady. After his death the Britons bravely defended
themselves against the prevailing greatness of the Saxons,
under those valiant princes, Aurelius Ambrosius, Uther
Pendragon, Arthur, Constantine II. Aurelius Conanus,
Vortiper, and Maelgwyn. To him succeeded Careticus ; in
whose time the Saxons, aspiring to a total conquest of
Britain, invited over one Gurmundus, a Norwegian pirate,
who had lately signalized himself in Ireland, and obtained a
conquest over that kingdom. Him they employed to march
against Careticus, who being overcome and vanquished by
him, the Britons were forced some to retire beyond the
rivers Severn and Dee, some to Cornwall, and the rest to
Little Britain (or Britanny), in France. The British affairs
were now brought very low, and their government reduced
within a very narrow compass; so that the title of the
Kings of Britain can be but superficially attributed to the
succeeding princes, Cadwan, Cadwallon, and Cadwalader.

CADWALADER.

* Fabian, p. 79.

This prince had by his first wife three sons, Vortimer, Catigern, and Pascensj and he
bad one son named Faustus, it is said, by his own daughter.

HISTORY OF WALES.

CADWALADER.

C/ADWALADER, surnamed Vendiged, or the Blessed,
was the last of British race that enjoyed the title of King
of Britain; after him, the Welsh, who were the most AD. 678.
numerous remains of the Britons, disdaining to own any
subjection to the oppressing Saxons, set up a new govern-
ment among themselves, and altered the style of British
Kings to that of Princes of Wales. But whilst Cadwalader
ruled in Britain, a severe famine, attended with a raging
pestilence, which assuredly sprung from the continued war
which was so eagerly carried on betwixt the Britons and
Saxons, happened in the island, and occasioned a most
lamentable mortality among his subjects ; insomuch that he
was compelled, together with a great number of his nobility
and others, to retire for refuge to his cousin Alan, King of
Llydaw, or Little Britain in France. There he met with A
all civility suitable to his quality and condition, as well
because of his own near relation and consanguinity to Alan,*
as upon the account that their subjects were originally one
and the same people : for the inhabitants of Little Britain,
about the year of Christ 384, went over out of this island,
under the command of Conan, Lord of Meriadoc, to the
aid of Maximus the Tyrant, against the Emperor Gratianus.
For this service Maximus granted to Conan and his fol-
lowers the country of Armorica, where the Britons, having
driven out the former inhabitants, seated themselves, and
erected a kingdom, which lasted for many years under
several kings, whose names and succession are as follow : —

LIST OF THE ARMORICAN KINGS.

1. Conan Meriadoe. 13. Conobertus.

2. Gradlonus. 14. Budicus II.

3. Salomon I. 15. Theordoricus.

4. Auldranus. 16. Ruhalhonus.

5. Budicus I. 17. Daniel Dremrost, i. e.

6. Howelus Magnus. rubicunda facie.

7. Howelus II. 18. Aregstanus.

8. Alanus I. 19. Maconus.

9. Howelus III. 20. Neomenius.

10. Gilquellus. 21. Haruspogius.

11. Salomon II. 22. Salomon III.

12. Alanus II.

Alan

* Baker's Chron, p. 4.— J. Fordun's Hist. Scot.— Gale's Scriptor. p. 647.

3 HISTORY OF WALES.

Alan II. reigned in Little Britain, when Cadwalader was
forced to forsake his own dominions, and retire beyond the
seas. He was descended from Run, the son of Maelgwyn
Gwynedd, King of Great Britain, by a daughter married to
Howel the Second, King of Little Britain. This kingdom
remained firm till Salomon III. was treacherously slain by
his own subjects; upon which unhappy occurrence, the
kingdom was converted to an earldom, whereof one Alan
was the first, a valiant and warlike prince, who stoutly
resisted the Normans, and frequently vanquished and over-
came them.

But after Cadwalader had continued some time with
Alan, the plague being abated in Britain, he purposed to
return, and, if possible, to recover that part of his kingdom
which the Saxons were now in possession of* He received
frequent intelligence of their number and increase, how they
fairly bid for the conquest of that country which had been
governed by British kings for the space of 1827 years.
This troubled him exceedingly, and though he had little
hope of prevailing by the strength and number of his
forces, yet he made the best preparation that the oppor-
tunity would permit, and despatched his fleet for the
transportation of his army, which consisted partly of his
own subjects, and partly of such succours as he received
from Alan. Whilst he vigorously prosecuted this design,
and was ready to strike sail for Britain, his voyage was,
it is said, prevented by a message from heaven, which
counselled him to lay aside the thoughts of recovering his
kingdom, because it was already decreed above that the
Britons should no longer enjoy the government of Britain,
until the prophecy of Merlin Ambrosius was fulfilled. And
instead of a voyage to Britain, he was ordered to take his
journey to Rome, where he should receive holy orders at
the hands of Pope Sergius, and instead of recovering the
British crown, have his own crown shaved off, and be
initiated into the order of the monks. Whether this vision
was signified to him in a dream, or by the impositions
illusions of some wicked spirit ; or whether it may be a
fantastical conceit of his own, being a man of a mild and
easy temper, wearied with troubles and miseries, is very
dubious : but this is certain, that he never returned again
to Britain, after he had gone over to Alan. Cadwalader
had no sooner received this vision, but immediately he
relates the whole to his friend Alan, who presently consulted

all

* Baker's Chron. p. 4. — Welsh Chron. by Caradoc of Llancarvan, re-published by Dr.
Powel, p. 3.

HISTORY OF WALES. 9

all his prophetical books, chiefly the famous works of the
two Merlins, Ambrosius and Sylvestris : the first is said to
have been begotten on a spirit, and born in the town of
Carmarthen, whence he received the name of Merlin, and
to have flourished in the reign of King Vortigern. The
latter, called Caledonius, from the forest Caledon in Scot-
land, and Sylvestris or Merlin Wyllt, because he fell mad
and lived desolately after he had seen a monstrous shape
in the air, prophesied in the time of King Arthur, and far
more full and intelligible than the former. Both these were
in great reverence and reputation among the Britons, and
their works very rigorously preserved, and upon any con-
siderable occasion most reverently consulted. They were
of opinion that nothing could escape their knowledge ; and
that no accident of moment or revolution could happen
which they did not foretel, and which was not to be dis-
covered in their writings. In the consultation therefore of
their prophecies, and the words which an eagle is said to
have spoken at the building of Caer Septon, now Shaftesbury,
namely, that the Britons must lose the government of Britain
till the bones of King Cadwalader were brought back from
Rome, Alan found out that the time was now come when
these prophesies were to be accomplished, and Britons
forced to quit their native inheritance to strangers and
invaders. Upon this he advised Cadwalader to obey the
commands and follow the counsel of the vision, and to hasten
his journey for Rome. This he was willing to submit to, being
desirous to spend the remainder of his days in peace and
quietness, which before he had no opportunity to enjoy. To
Rome therefore he hastened, where he was kindly received
by Pope Sergius : and, after eight years spent there in piety
and devotion, he died in the year 688, and with him the
kingdom and total government of the Britons over this island.
King Cadwalader is said to have been a considerable
benefactor to the Abbey of Clynnoc Vawr in Arvon, upon
which he bestowed the Lordship of Grayanoc. This place
was primarily founded by St. Beuno, to whom it is dedicated,
who was the son of Hywgi ap Gwynlliw ap Grlywis ap
Tegid ap Cadell, a Prince or Lord of Glewisig, brother's
son to St. Cadoc ap Gwynlliw, sometime Bishop of Bene-
ventum, in Italy. He was by the mother's side cousin-
german to Laudatus, the first Abbot of Enlli, or the island
of Bardsey, and to Kentigern, Bishop of Glasgow, in Scot-
land, and of Llanelwy, or St. Asaph, in Wales; which last
was son to Owen, a Prince of Scotland, and grandson to
Unen Reged, King of Cumbria. The building of a

monastery

10 HISTORY OF WALES.

monastery at Clynnoc happened on this occasion : Beuno
having raised to life, as the tradition goes, St. Winifred,
who was beheaded by one Caradoc, a lord in North Wales,
upon the account that she would not yield to his unchaste
desires, became in very great esteem with King Cadvan,
who bestowed upon him certain lands whereon to build a
monastery. Cadwallon also, Cadvan's son, gave him the
lands of Gwaredoc, where beginning to build a church, a
certain woman with a child in her arms prevented his
further progress, assuring him that those lands were the
proper inheritance of that child. Beuno was so exceedingly
troubled at this, that without any more consideration on the
matter, taking the woman along with him, he went in all
haste to Caer Seiont, (called by the Romans Segontium,
now Carnarvon,*) where King Cadwallon then kept his
Court; when he was come before the king, he told him,
with a great deal of zeal and concern, that he had not done
well to devote to God's service what was another man's
inheritance, and therefore demanded back of him the golden
sceptre he had given him in lieu and consideration of the
said land, which the king refusing to do, was presently
excommunicated by Beuno, who thereupon departed and
went away. But a certain person called Gwyddeiant, the
king's cousin-german, hearing what had happened, imme-
diately pursued Beuno; whom, when he had overtaken,
he bestowed upon him (for the good of his own soul and the
king's) the township of Clynndc Vawr, being his undoubted
inheritance; where Beuno built a church, about the year
616, about which time King Cadvan died, leaving his son
Cadwallon to succeed him. And not long before this time,
Eneon Brenin, or Anianus, King of the Scots, a considerable
prince in the North of Britain, leaving all his royalty in
those parts, came to Leyn in Gwynedd, where he built a
church, which is still called from him, Llan Eingan Brenin ;
where he is said to have spent the remainder of his days in
the fear and service of God, He was son to Owen Danwyn,
the son of Eneon Yrth, son to Cunedda Wledig, King of
Cumbria, and a great prince in the North, and cousin-
german to the great Maelgwyn Gwynedd, King of Britain,
whose father was Caswallon-law-hir, or the long handed,f
the brother of Owen Danwyn ; and his mother Medif, the
daughter of Voylda ap Talu Traws, of Nanconwy. This
Maelgwyn died about the year 586.

IVOR

* Caer-yn-ar-von ; the city opposite Mona. — HunfFrey Lhuyd, p. 65.
t Rowland's Mona Ant p. 183.

HISTORY OF WALES. 11

IVOR & 1DWAL YWRCH.

Y? HEN Cadwalader was departed for Rome, Alan
began to reflect upon the state and condition of Great
Britain ; he imagined with himself that the recovery of it
was not impracticable, but that a considerable army might
regain what the Saxons now quietly possessed. Therefore
he was resolved to try the utmost, and to send over all the
forces he was able to draw together ; not doubting the con-
quest of some part of Britain, in case the whole should
prove irrecoverable. He was the more encouraged to this
expedition, by reason that the advantage was like to be his
own, and no one could challenge the government of Britain,
in case fortune should deliver it to his hands. Cadwalader
was gone to Rome, and in all probability never to return :
his son Idwal Ywrch, or the Roe, was young and under the
tuition of Alan, so that the event of this expedition must of
necessity fall to himself, or by his concession to his son
Ivor, who was to be chief in the undertaking. Having
raised a considerable army, consisting chiefly of his own
subjects, with what remained of the Britons that came over
with King Cadwalader, he despatched it for Britain, under
the command of his son Ivor, and his nephew Ynyr : they
safely landed in the western parts of Britain, which put the
Saxons to so great a fright, that they immediately drew up
all their power to oppose them, and to hinder their progress
into the country. The Britons, though somewhat fatigued
with their voyage, gave them battle, and after a very great
slaughter of the Saxons possessed themselves of the countries
of Cornwall, Devon, and Somersetshire. This proved a
fortunate beginning for the Britons, and gave them great
hopes of farther success in the recovery of their country ;
but that could not be expected without great opposition,
and several hot engagements with the Saxons. This they
were immediately made sensible of; for they had scarce time
to breathe, and to recover their spirits after the last battle,
but Kentwyn, King of the West-Saxons, marched against
them with a powerful army, consisting of Saxons and
Angles. The Britons resolved to fight them; but whilst
both armies were in view of each other they thought it more
advisable to cease from any hostility, and to enter into
articles of composition. Ivor seemed already satisfied with
his conquest, and willingly agreed to marry Ethelberga,
Kentwyn's cousin, and peaceably to enjoy for his life so

much

U HISTORY OF WALES.

much as he was already in possession of. This he faithfully
observed during the reign of Kentwyn and his nephew
Cadwal, who, after two years, resigned the kingdom of the
West- Saxons to his cousin Ivor. And now Ivor was become
unexpectedly powerful, being King as well of the Saxons
as of the Britons that inhabited the westeni parts of the
island. He was now able to undertake somewhat consider-
able, and therefore began to fall foul upon his neighbours,
the kings of Kent, of the West-Saxons, and Mercia, whom
he vanquished in several battles. But being at length tired
with the weight of government, he went to Rome, after the
example of Cadwalader, and resigned the rule of the Saxons
to his cousin Adelred, leaving the Britons to the care of
Roderic Molwynoc, the son of Idwal Ywrch.

This Ivor founded the Abbey of Glastonbury, called in
the British tongue Ynys Avalon ; wiiere there had been a
Christian church for several years before, and the first that
was ever erected in Britain. For Joseph of Arimathea
being sent by Philip the Apostle in the days of Arviragus,
An. Chr. 53^ to preach the Gospel in Britain, seated him-
self here, and built a church for the British Christians.
This chur;ch afterwards Ivor .converted into an abbey, which
he endowed with very large possessions ; being famous for
the burying-place of Joseph of Arimathea* and King

Arthur.

* Whether the ancient tradition of Joseph of Arimathea, who might then well transport
himself into Britain in one of the Phoenician ships that frequently traded for tin, and to
carry with him the first tidings of Christ, has any foundation in truth (not heeding the
Glastonbury story), is uncertain. Yet it seems very probable that that honourable per-
son, soon after the ascension of Christ, conveyed himself away from the Jewish sanhedrim,
of which he was a member, to some remote country, for fear the Jews should question
him about Christ's body, which he had buried, but which had risen up from the grave he
had laid it in : which must be a fear well grounded, and a just occasion of his'withdrawing
himself somewhere out of their reach. And that he'di'd so is very likely ; for a person of
his character and merit, if he had staid in Judea during the ten succeeding years after the
resurrection, would in all probability have met with an eminent mention even in Scrip-
ture, either for his death or his conduct in propagating the gospel.— Rowland's Mona
Antiqua Re,staurata, p. 138.

Glastonbury derives its origin (says Camden) from Joseph of Arimathea, the same who
buried Christ's body ; who, when he came to preach the gospel in Great Britain, as it is
asserted he 'did by the Romish legends, he landed in the isle of Avilon, fixed his staff in
the ground, (a dry thorn sapling, which had been his companion through all the countries
he had passed), and fell asleep. When he awoke, he found to his great surprise that his
staff had taken root, and was covered with white blossoms. From this miracle, however,
he drew a natural conclusion, that, as the use of his staff was thus taken from him, it was
ordained that he should take up his abode in this place. .Here, therefore, he built a
chapel, which, by the piety of succeeding times, increased into this magnificent foundation.
But of these edifices, a small part of the great church of the abbey, fragments of Saint
Joseph's chapel, the abbot's kitchen, and some unintelligible and dilapidated walls, a're
all which now survive.

Gibson, in his additions to Camden, folio 78, says — « From hence let us go alopg wi,th
Mr. Camden north. west to Glassonbury, where, among other curiosities, he mentions the
budding of a hawthorn-tree on Christmas Day. The tree has been cut down these many
y»'ars ; yet there are some still growing in the county from branches of that, as particu-
larly one in the garden of William Stroud, Esq. possessor of the ground where the other
stood, another in the garden of the White Hart Inn, in Glassonbury."

HISTORY OF WALES. 13

Arthur. He bestowed also some lands upon the church of
Winchester.

But there happened several casualties in his time.
Brythe, a subject to Egfride King of Northumberland,
passed over to Ireland, and wasted and destroyed a great
part of that kingdom. In the fourth year of his reign there
happened a remarkable earthquake in the Isle of Man, which
much disturbed and annoyed the inhabitants ; and the year
following it rained blood both in Britain and Ireland. This
occasioned the butter and milk to resemble the colour of
blood; and two years after the moon also appeared all
bloody. These accidents of nature might presage some
tumults and disturbances in the kingdom ; which were very
great in his time. For he was almost in perpetual hostility
with the Kings of Kent, West-Sex, and Mercia ; which
occasioned great bloodshed and slaughter in Britain. His
journey to Rome put an end to all these commotions, from
whence he never did return, but ended his days there in
the practice of piety and religion.

RODERIC MOLWYNOC.

I HE Government of the Britons Ivor resigned to Roderic
Molwynoc, the son of Idwal Ywrch, who began his reign
An. 720. But Adelred, King of the West-Saxons, was A.D. 720.
displeased that Ivor had not bestowed upon him his whole
kingdom ; and upon that account he resolved to trouble
and plague Roderic and his Britons. He raised immedi-
ately a powerful army, and with all his forces marched to
Devonshire, which he destroyed with fire and sword.
From thence he proceeded to Cornwall, intending to make
that country sensible of the same misery ; but he came far
short of his expectations, for upon his entrance into the
county the Britons opposed him and gave him battle, where
he was vanquished and forced to retire with all speed to his
own dominions. This victory the Britons called Gwaeth
Heilyn, from the place where this battle was fought. The A.D. 721.
year following, the Britons again obtained two notable
victories over the Saxons ; the one at a place called Garth
Maelawc, in North Wales, the other at Pencost, in South
Wales. But the joy and satisfaction which the Britons
entertained of these successes, were somewhat abated by the
death of Belin, the son of Elphin, a man of noble birth, and
great worth among them.

About

14 HISTORY OF WALES.

About the same time Celredus King of Mercia died, and
was succeeded by Ethelbaldus, who being very desirous to
annex that fertile and pleasant country lying between the
rivers Severn and Wye to his Kingdom of Mercia, entered
Wales with a puissant army. He destroyed and ravaged
the country before him to Carno, a mountain lying not far
from Abergavenny,* where he was met with by the Britons,
between whom a bloody and sore battle was fought in the

A.D.728. year 728, but the victory proved very dubitable.

Not long after died the venerable Bede,f who was edu-

A.D. 733. cated and brought up in the Abbey of Wyrnetham or larewe ;
a man of great learning and extensive knowledge, who wrote
several books, one of which, entitled, the Ecclesiastical
History of the English Nation, he dedicated to Cleolwolfe
King of Northumberland. The same time Adelred King of
the West-Saxons, and Ethelbald King of Mercia, united
their forces, and jointly marched to fight against the Britons.
The Welsh were now put to very hard straits and forced to
oppose the numerous armies of two powerful kings. How-
ever, fight they must, or suffer their country to be miserably
over-run by their inveterate enemies. Both armies being
engaged, a very dismal battle ensued thereupon, and a very
great slaughter happened on both sides ; but the Saxons
prevailing by the number of their forces obtained a very
bloody victory over the powerless Britons. But Adelred,
who was shortly followed by Edwyn King of the Picts, did
not long survive this battle ; and Cudred took upon him the
government of the West-Saxons. The Welsh found them-
selves unable to cope with the Saxons, and too weak to
repress their endless incursions, therefore they applied them-
selves to Cudred and joined in league with him, who, upon
some occasion or other, had actually fallen out with

A D 746 Ethelbald King of Mercia. But Ethelbald was so proud
with the success of the last engagement, that notwithstand-
ing the league with Cudred, he must needs again fall upon
the Welsh. He advanced as far as Hereford, J where the
Britons, by the help of Cudred, gave him a signal over-
throw, and caused him to repent of his rash and precipitous
expedition. But shortly after, Cudred and Ethelbald were
unluckily reconciled, and made friends together, and Cudred
relinquishing the Welsh, joined his forces to Ethelbald's.
Hereupon ensued another battle, in which the Welsh, being
greatly overpowered, were vanquished by the Saxons ; after

which

* Abergefni.

t At this time (A. D. 734) died the venerable Bede.— Flores Hist. Matth. Westm.
p. 203.

t Anciently called Henffordd, or the old road of Englishmen.— Humffrey Lhuyd, p. 74.

HISTORY OF WALES. 15

which victory Cudred shortly died. To him succeeded
Sigebert, a man of a loose and vicious inclination, who, A-D-748-
for his ill-behaviour in the management of his kingdom,
was in a short time expelled and deprived by his nobi-
lity, and at last miserably slain by a rascally swineherd.
After him Kenulph was chosen King of the West-Saxons,
Ann. 750, in whose time died Theodore, the son of Belin, A.D. 750.
a man of great esteem and reputation among the Britons.
And about the same time a remarkable battle was fought
between the Britons and the Picts at a place called Mage-
dawc, in which the Picts were put to a total rout, and
Dalargan their king casually slain. But the Britons did
not succeed so well against the Saxons ; for Roderic Molwy-
noc was at length forced to forsake the western countries of
Britain, and to claim his own inheritance in North Wales.*
The sons of Bletrus or Bledericus, Prince of Cornwall and
Devonshire, who was one of them that vanquished Adelred
and Ethelbert at Bangor on the river Dee, had enjoyed the
government of North Wales ever since Cadfan was chosen
King of Britain. Roderic, therefore, demanded the govern-
ment of this country as his right, which he was now willing
to accept of, seeing he was forced to quit what he had
hitherto possessed. But he did not long enjoy it ; for he
died in a short time, leaving behind him f two sons, Conan
Tindaethwy and Howel, after that he had in all reigned
over the Britons thirty years. '

CONAN TINDAETHWY.

JiCODERIC Molwynoc being dead, his son, Conan
Tindaethwy took upon him the government and principality
of Wales, in the year 755.J He was scarcely settled in his A--D- 755>
throne, but the Saxons began to make inroads into his
country, to spoil and destroy what they conveniently could
meet with. They were animated thereto by the ill success
of Roderic ; and having forced the Britons out of Cornwall
and Devonshire, they thought it practicable to drive them
out of Wales too, and so to reduce the possession of the
whole Island to themselves. This was their aim, and this
they endeavoured to put in execution ; but they were met

with

* Rowland's Mona Ant. p. 188.

f He usually resided at Caer Segont, on the Straits of the Menai, in Caernarvonshire.
—Rowland's Mona Ant. p. 172.

| Rowland's Mona Ant, p. 188.

1C HISTORY OF WALES.

with at Hereford, where a severe battle was fought between
them and the Welsh, in which Dyfnwal the son of Theodore,
a stout and valiant soldier, was slain. And shortly after-
wards died Athelbert, King of Northumberland, and was
succeeded by Oswald.

About the same time happened a religious quarrel be-
tween the Britons and Saxons, concerning the observation of
the feast of Easter, which Elbodius, a learned and pious
man, endeavoured to rectify in Wales, and to reduce to
the Roman calculation, which the Saxons always observed.
The Britons differed from the Church of Rome in the
celebration of this feast ; and the difference was this. The
Church of Rome, according to the order of the council of
Nice, always observed Easter-day the next Sunday after the
14th day of the moon ; so that it never happened upon the
14th day itself, nor passed the 21st. The Britons on the
other hand celebrated their Easter upon the 14th, and so
forward to the 20th, which occasioned this difference, that
the Sunday observed as Easter-day by the Britons was but
Palm-Sunday with the Saxons. Upon this account the
Saxons did most uncharitably traduce the Britons, and
would scarcely allow them the name and title of Christians.
Hereupon, about the year 660, a great contest happened,
managed on the one part by Colman and Hylda, who
defended the rites and celebration of the Br:tons ; and by
Gilbert and Wilfride on the part of the Saxons. Hylda
was the niece of Edwine, King of Northumberland, edu-
cated by Pauline and Aedan. She publicly opposed
Wilfride and other superstious monks, as to such trifles and
bigotry in religion, alleging out of Polycrates, the fact of
Irenaeus, who withstood Victor, Bishop of Rome, upon the
same account; and the custom of the churches of Asia
observed by St. John the Evangelist, Philip the Apostle,
Polycarpus, and Melito ; and likewise observed in Britain
by Joseph of Arimathea, who first preached the gospel
here.

Offa* was made King of Mercia, and Brichtrich of the
•D.763. West-Saxons; about which time died Fermael, the son of
Edwal and Cemoyd, King of the Picts. The Saxons daily
encroached upon the lands and territories of the Welsh
beyond the river Severn, but more especially towards the
south part of the country. These encroachments the Welsh
could not endure, and therefore were resolved to recover
their own, and to drive the Saxons out of their country.
The Britons of South Wales, as receiving the greatest injury

and
* Saxon. Annal. p. 59.

HISTORY OF WALES. 17

and disadvantage from the Saxons, presently took up arms A. D. 776.
and entered into the country of Mercia, which they ravaged
and destroyed with fire and sword. Shortly after, all the
Welsh joined their forces together, fell upon the Saxons,
forced them to retire beyond the Severn, and then returned
home with a very considerable spoil of English cattle.* The
Welsh, finding the advantage of this last incursion, and how
that by these means they galled and vexed the Saxons,
frequently practised the same; and, entering their country
by stealth, they killed and destroyed all before them, and
driving the cattle beyond the river, ravaged and laid waste
the whole country. OfFa, King of Mercia, not being able
to endure these daily incursions and depredations of the
Welsh, entered into a league with the rest of the Saxon
kings to bend their whole force against the Welsh, and
having raised a very strong and numerous army, passed the
Severn into Wales. The Welsh being far too weak to
oppose and encounter so great an army, quitted the even
and plain country lying upon the banks of the Severn and
Wye,f and retired to the mountains and rocks, where they
knew they could be most safe from the inveterate and
revengeful arms of the Saxons: but as soon as the Saxons
retired, being unable to effect any thing against them in
these strong and natural fortifications, the Welsh still made
inroads into their territories, and seldom returned without
some considerable booty and advantage. The Saxons were
much nettled at these bo-peeping ravagers, and pursued
them still to their holds, but durst not follow them further,
lest they should be entrapped by such as defended the
straights and passages of the rocks. King OfFa, perceiving
that he could effect nothing by these measures, annexed
the country about the Severn and Wye to his kingdom of
Mercia, and planted the same with Saxons :£ and for a
further security against the continued invasions of the
Welsh he made a deep ditch, extending from one sea to
the other, called Clawdd OfFa, or OfFa's Dike; upon which
account the royal seat of the Princes of Powys was trans-
lated from Pengwern,§ now Shrewsbury, to Mathraval in
Montgomeryshire.

While
c

* Welsh Chron. p. 19. f Hafren and Gwy.^-Langhornl Chron. Reg. Ang. p. 292.

J The large towns and cities situate to the east of the Severn and Dee were probably
built at this period to check the incursions of the Welsh by a strong line of frontier posts.
The villages likewise on the east side of Clawdd OfFa, whose names terminate in ton or
ham, were about this time inhabited by Saxons, who were usually called Gwyr y Mers,
or the men of Mercia, though in after times the Welsh settled on each side of the dike.

§ Its ancient name was Pengwern, or the head of a place where alders grow, and was
the seat of the Kings of Powys; whence the Saxon term Schrewsbury is derived.—
Humffrey Lhuyd's Breviary, pp. 27 and 50.

18 HISTORY OF WALES.

A. D. 795. While these things were transacted in the west, the
Danes began to grow powerful at sea, and ventured to land
in tlie north of England; but without doing any great hurt,
being forced to betake themselves to their ships again.
Within six years after they landed again in great numbers,
and proved much more terrible; they ravaged and de-
stroyed a great part of Linsey and Northumberland, over-
run the best part of Ireland, and miserably wasted Rechreyn.
At the same time a considerable battle was fought at
Rhuddlan between the Saxons and Welsh, wherein Caradoc
king of North Wales was killed. The government of Wales
was as yet but weak, and not firmly rooted, by reason of the
perpetual quarrels and disturbances between the Welsh and
the Saxons; so that the chief person or lord of any country
assumed to himself the title of king. Caradoc was a person
of great esteem and reputation in North Wales, and one
that did very much contribute towards the security of the
country against the incursions of the Saxons. He was son
to Gwyn, the son of Colhoyn, the son of Ednowen, son to
Blethyn, the son of Blecius or Bledericus, Prince of Corn-

A D 796 wa^ anc^ Devonshire. Offa, King of Mercia,* did not long
survive him, and was succeeded by his son Egfert, who in a
short time left his kingdom also to Kenulphus; a year after
that Egbertus was created King of the West Saxons.
About the same time died Arthen, son to Sitsylht, the son
of Clydawc King of Cardigan; and sometime after, Run
King of Dyfed,f and Cadelh King of Powys, who were
followed by Elbodius, Archbishop of North Wales, before
whose death happened a very great eclipse of the sun.
The year following the moon was likewise eclipsed upon
' Christmas-day. These fatalities and eclipses were thought
to portend no success to the affairs of Wales ; the laying of
St. David's in ashes by the West Saxons being followed by
a general and very grievous murrain of cattle, which much
impoverished the whole country. The following year,
Owen the son of Meredith, the son of Terudos, died, and
the castle of Deganwy was destroyed by lightning.

These great losses which the Welsh sustained did not
reconcile Prince Conan and his brother Howel; for they
quarrelled with each other when they had the more occasion
to embrace and unite their endeavours against the common
enemy. Howel claimed the isle of Anglesey as part of his
father's inheritance, which Conan would by no means accede
to, nor consent that his brother should take possession of it.
It was the custom of Wales, that a father's estate should be
equally distributed between all his sons; and Howel, by

virtue

* Welsh Chron. p. 20. f Pembroke.

HISTORY OF WALES. 19

virtue of this custom, commonly called Gavelkind from the
word Gafel, to hold, claimed that island as his portion of
his father's estate. This custom of Gavelkind was the
occasion of the ruin and diminution of the estates of all the
ancient nobility in Wales, which, being endlessly divided
between the several sons of the same family, were at length
reduced to nothing. From hence also proceeded various
unnatural wars and disturbances between brothers, who,
beina: either not satisfied with their portions or displeased
with the country they were to possess, disputed their right
by dint of the sword. This proved the case in the present
instance; for Howel would not suffer himself to be cheated
out of his paternal inheritance, and therefore he endeavoured
to recover it by force of arms. Both armies being engaged,
the victory fell to Howel, who immediately thereupon pos-
sessed himself of the island, and valiantly maintained it
against the power and strength of his brother Conan.

The Welsh bein<j thus at variance and enmity among
themselves, and striving how to destroy one another, had
yet another disaster added to their misfortunes. For the
following year they suffered a very considerable loss by
thunder storms, which very much injured the country, and
laid several houses and towns in ashes. About the same
time, Griffith the son of Run, a person of considerable
quality in Wales, died ; and Griffri the son of Cyngen was
treacherously murdered by the practices of his brother Elis.

But Conan would not rest satisfied with his brother
Howel's forcible possession of the Island of Anglesey, and
therefore he was resolved again to give him battle, and
to force him to restore and yield up the possession of that
country which he had now in his hands. Howel, on the
other hand, being as resolutely bent to maintain his ground,
and not to deliver up a foot of what he possessed, as well in
respect of his father's legacy as his late conquest, willingly
met his brother, put him to flight, and killed a great num-
ber of his forces. Conan was greatly enraged at this
shameful overthrow, and therefore resolved either to recover
the island from his brother, or to sacrifice his life and his
crown in the quarrel. Having drawn up all the forces he A D 817
could raise together, he marched to Anglesey to seek his
brother Howel, who being too weak to encounter and oppose
so considerable a number, was compelled to make his escape
to the Isle of Man, and to leave the Island of Anglesey to
the mercy of his brother. Conan, however, did not live
long to reap the satisfaction of this victory, but died in a

short
c 2

20 HISTORY OF WALES.

short time, leaving issue an only daughter called Esylht,
married to a nobleman of Wales named Merfyn Frych. He
was son to Gwyriad or Uriet, the son of Elidur, who was
lineally descended from Belinus, the brother of Brennus
King of the Britons. His mother was Nest, the daughter
/i Cadelh King of Powys, the son_of BrochwelYscithroc,*
who, together with Cadfan king of Britain, Morgan King
of Demetia, and Bledericus King of Cornwall, gave that
memorable overthrow to Etheldred King of Northumber-
land, upon the river Dee, in the year 617. This Brochwel,
by the Latin writers named Brecinallus and Brochmaelus,
wag a yerv considerable prince in that part of Britain called
Powys-land ; he was also Earl of Chester, and lived in the
town then called Pengwern Powys, now Salop, and in the
place where the college of St. Chad was subsequently
erected. He was a great friend and a favourer to the
monks of Bangor, whose part he took against the Saxons
that were urged by Augustine the monk to prosecute them
with fire and sword, because they would not forsake the
customs of their own church, and conform to those of

MERFYN FRYCH & ESYLHT.

being dead, Merfyn Frych and his wife Esylht,
who was sole heir to Conan, took upon them the govern-
ment of the principality of Wales. This Merfyn was King
of Man, and son to Gwyriat and Nest, the daughter of
Cadelh ap Brochwel ap Elis King of Powys.f Howel,
being forcibly ejected out of Anglesey by his brother,
Conan Tindaethwy, escaped to the Island of Man, and was
honourably and kindly received by Merfyn ; in return for
whose civilities Howel used such means afterwards, that
Merfyn married Esylht, the daughter and heir of his brother
Conan (though others say that he died presently after his
escape to Merfyn). Howel, after he had for about five

years

* Of whom it is thus written in Hist&ria Diva Monacella;—" Fuit olim in Powysia
quidam Princeps illustrissimus nomine Brochwel Ysgithrog, consul Leycestriae, qui in
urbem itunc temporis, Pengwern Powys, nunc veto Salopia dicta est habitabat; cujus
domic-ilium seu Habitaculum ibi steterat ubi collegium divi Ceddae nunc situm est." —
t. e. u There was sometime in Powys a noble prince, named Brochwel Ysgithrog, Consul
or Earl of Chester, who dwelt in a town then called Pengwern Powys, and now Salop,
whose dwelling house was in the very same place where the College of St. Chad now
standeth."

t Welsh Chronicle, p. 22.

HISTORY OF WALES. 21

years enjoyed the Isle of Man, and other lands in the north
which he held under Merfyn, died about the year 825 ; on
whose death these possessions again reverted to Merfyn,
whose ancestors had always held the same under the Kings
of the Britons ; and thus, upon his marriage with Esylht,
the Isle of Man was annexed to the crown of Wales.*

In the first year of their reign, Egbert, the powerful King
of the West Saxons, entered with a mighty army into
Wales, destroyed and wasted the country as far as Snow-
don, and seized upon the lordship of Rhyvonioc in Den-
bighland.f About the same time a battle was fought in
Anglesey between the Saxons and Welsh, called, from the
place where it happened, the battle of Llanvaes. Fortune
seemed during this period to frown upon the Welsh, and
their affairs were very unsuccessful ; for shortly after Egbert
had advanced as far as Snowdon, Kenulph King of Mercia
wasted the country of West Wales, over-ran and destroyed
Powys-land, and greatly disturbed and incommoded the
Welsh nation.^ Soon after this, Kenulph died, and was
succeeded by Kenelm ; and he in a short time by Ceol-
wulph, who, after two years' reign, left the kingdom of
Mercia to Bernulph.

Egbert, King of the West Saxons, was grown very strong A, D. 828.
and powerful, and contemplated the reduction of all the
petty kingdoms in Britain under one single monarchy;!
upon which he commenced with Bernulph King of Mercia,
and vanquished him at Elledowne ; and afterwards brought
under subjection the countries of Kent and of the West
Angles. But the Britons would not be so easily subdued ;
for after a long and a cruel fight at Gavelford, between
them and the West Saxons of Devonshire, in which several
thousands were slain on both sides, the victory remained
uncertain. He had better success against Wyhtlafe King A. D- §29.
of Mercia, whose dominions he easily added to his now
increasing monarchy ; and passing the Humber, he quickly
reduced that country to his subjection. The Saxon hep-
tarchy was now become one kingdom, and Egbert sole
monarch of all the countries that the Saxons possessed in
Britain ; which name he ordered should be changed to
England, his ^ people to be called Englishmen, and the
language English.||

They

* Rowland's Mona Ant. p. 188.

f Matthew Westm. (p. 224—227) recites three different invasions of Wales by Egbert,
in which he subdued that country and made its kings tributary. A. D. 810, 811, 830.

t Welsh Chron. pp.^24, 25.

§ Fabian, p. 184. — Rowland's Mona Ant. p. 171.

|] Humffrey Lhuyd's Brev. p. 13.— Verstegan, c. 5, p. 125.

22 HISTORY OF WALES.

They who came over out of Germany into this island to
aid the Britons against their enemies the Picts and Scots,
were partly Saxons, Angles, and Juthes ; from the first of
whom came the people of Essex, Sussex, Middlesex, and
the West Saxons ; from the Angles, the East Angles, the
Mercians, and they that inhabited the north side of the
Humber ; from the Juthes, the Kentishmen and they that
settled in the Isle of Wight. These Germans, after they
had driven the Britons beyond Severn and Dee, erected
seven kingdoms, called the Heptarchy, in the other part of
the island: namely, 1. Kent. 2. The South Saxons, con-
taining Sussex and Surrey. 3. The East Angles, in Nor-
folk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. 4. The kingdom of the
West Saxons, comprehending Berkshire, Devonshire, So-
mersetshire, and Cornwall. 5. Mercia, containing the
present counties of Gloucester, Hereford, Worcester, Salop,
Stafford, Chester, Warwick, Leicester, Derby, Nottingham,
Lincoln, Northampton, Oxford, Buckingham, Bedford, and
part of Hertford. 6. The East Saxons, containing Essex,
Middlesex, and the other part of Hertford. 7. The North-
umbrians, taking in all the country beyond Humber, which
was divided into two parts, Deyra and Bernicia, the first
portion extending from Humber to Tyne, the other from
Tyne to the Scottish sea.

Egbert, King of the West Saxons, having severally
conquered these kingdoms, annexed them together, and
comprehended them under one monarchy, which was called
the kingdom of England, 968 years after the coming of
Brute to this island, 383 years after the landing of Hengist,
and 149 years after the departure of Cadwalader to Rome.

Egbert,* having thus united under one government these
several kingdoms, which used continually to molest and to
encroach upon each other's territories, .might reasonably
have expected to enjoy his new kingdom quietly, without
A. D. 883. fear of any disturbance or trouble in his dominions. But
no sooner was he established king of England, than the
Danes began to threaten new commotions, and landed in
great numbers, and in divers parts of the coast. Egbert
fought several battles with them, and with various success:
at length the Danes landed in West Wales, marched for-
ward for England, being joined by a great number of
Welsh, and met Egbert upon Hengist-down, where a severe
battle was fought, and the Danes put to a total rout.f The
Welsh suffered severely for this : Egbert, being highly
incensed that the Danes were supported by them, laid siege

to

* Welsh Chron. p. 24, 25.— f S&^on Chron. p. 72.

HISTORY OF WALES.

to Caer Lheon ar Dhyfrdwy, or Chester, the chief city of
Venedotia, which hitherto had remained in the hands of
the Welsh ;* he took the place, and, among other tokens of
his indignation, he caused the brazen effigies of Cadwalhon
King of Britain to be pulled down and defaced, f and for-
bad the erecting of such again on pain of death. He issued
also a proclamation by the instigation of his wife Redburga,
who always bore an inveterate hatred towards the Welsh,
commanding all that were any ways descended from British
blood, to depart, with all their effects, out of his kingdom
within six months, upon pain of death. J These were very
severe and insupportable terms; but he did not live to
see them put in execution ; for dying shortly after the battle
of Hengist-down, he was succeeded by his son Ethelwulph.
This King Ethelwulph married his daughter to Berthred,
who was his tributary King of Mercia, by whose help he
successfully opposed the cruel incursions of the Danes, who
miserably destroyed the sea-coasts of England by fire and
sword. These Danish invasions having been successfully
resisted, Berthred King of Mercia attacked the Welsh,
with whom a remarkable battle was fought at a place called
Kettell ; where Merfyn Frych, King of the Britons, was *
killed, leaving his son Roderic Mawr, or the Great, to suc-
ceed him in the government of Wales.g

RODERIC THE GREAT.

MERFYN FRYCH having lost his life, and with it his
kingdom, in the battle of Kettell, his son Roderic, sur- 843'
named the Great, without any opposition, succeeded to the
Principality of Wales. The first thing he effected after his
advancement to the crown was the dividing of Wales into
3 provinces, which he distinguished thus: — Aberffraw, Dine-
vawr, and Mathraval. Berthred, King of Mercia, being
animated by his late success against Merfyn Frych, pur-
posed to perform the like exploits against his son Roderic ;
and having gained the aid and assistance of King Ethel-
wulph, he entered North Wales|| with a strong army, and
advanced as far as Anglesey, which he cruelly ravaged.
Roderic met him several times, and the Welsh at length so
galled and resisted him that he had little or nothing to

boast

* Chron. of Wales, p. 72. f Stowe's Chron. p. 77.

I Chron. of Wales, p. 27. § Saxon Chron. p. 75.

II Rowland's Mona Ant. p. 174.— Sim. Dunelme, p. 120-139.— Hist. Angl. Script.— )
Matthew Westm. p. 231. — Chron. of Wales, p. 35.

24 HISTORY OF WALES.

boast of, although Meyric, one of the chief princes among
the Britons, was slain.

Berthred was, however, soon forced to desist from his
expedition against the Welsh, and to turn his forces another
way, his own dominions requiring their constant residence,
A. D. 846. being severely threatened by a foreign invasion : for the
Danes were by this time grown so very powerful, that they
overran a great part of England, fought with Athelstan,
King of Kent, brother to Ethel wulph, and obtained so
much footing, that whereas they had on previous occasions
returned to their own country when the weather grew too
cold for action, they now took up their winter quarters in
England.

The Welsh, in the mean time, being secure from that
violence which they might otherwise have expected from
the English, began to quarrel and fall out amongst them-
selves. Ithel, King of Gwent or Wentland, for what occa-
sion is not known, attacked the men of Brecknock, who
were so resolute as to fight him, and the event proved fatal
to Ithel, who was slain upon the spot: thus affording
another proof that it is the unhappiness of a nation to be
composed of several petty states, for in such case, when it
js not under apprehension of danger from an outward enemy,
it will often be at variance and experience disturbance
within itself.

Had the Britons, instead of falling upon one another,
taken the advantage of this opportunity, when the Saxons
were altogether employed in opposing and repelling the
Danes, to increase and strengthen their number and to
fortify their towns, they might at least securely have pos-
sessed their own dominions, if not extended their govern-
ment to a great part of England ; but a sort of an equality
in power begat an emulation between the several princes,
and this emulation for the most part ended in contention, —
so that instead of strengthening themselves whilst they had
respite from the English, they rather weakened their power
by inward differences.

Kyngen King of Powys having gone to Rome, there to

A.D. 854. end his days peaceably and religiously, experienced a death

not so natural as he had anticipated, being barbarously

Mf slain (or, as some say, choked) by his own servants.

Shortly after died Cemoyth King of the Picts, and Jonathan

Lord of Abergeley. It was at this time customary for

princes wearied with government to go to Rome, and the

Pope willingly dispensed with the resignation of their

crowns, because his Holiness seldom lost by it. King

Ethelwulph

HISTORY OF WALES. 25

Ethelwulph paid very dear for his entertainment there,
having made his kingdom tributary to the Pope, and paid
the Peter-pence to the church of Rome. The Saxon genea-
logists carry the pedigree of Ethelwulph even up to Adam,
as may be seen in Matthew of Westminster, who in like
manner derives the pedigree of Oflfa, King of Mercia.
This pride in genealogy has been the custom of most
nations both ancient and modern, and has always been
evinced by those whose families are ancient and honourable;
so that it is very unfair to deride the Welsh because they
adhere to this ancient and laudable custom.

Berthred King of Mercia became at length far too weak
to repel the daily increasing power of the Danes, who so
numerously poured upon him, that at last he was forced to
relinquish his kingdom and fly to Rome, where in a short
time he sorrowfully ended his days. Ethelwulph soon fol-
lowed, and left his sons, Athelbald King of the West Saxons,
and Athelbright King of Kent and of the East Saxons.
Ethelwulph is reported to have been so learned and devout,
that the church of Winchester elected him in his youth
Bishop of that see, which function he took upon him about
seven years before he was made king. He is said also to
have conquered the kingdom of Demetia or South Wales,
which, together with the kingdom of the South-Saxons, he
bestowed upon his son Alfred, upon condition he would
bring a thousand men out of Wales to Winchester to the
aid of his brother Ethelbert against the Danes. Athelbald
succeeding his father in the kingdom of the West Saxons,
kept his mother-in-law, the wife of Ethelwulph, for his
concubine, and afterwards married her in the city of Chester.
He did not live long in this unnatural connexion, but dying
without issue after he had reigned eight years, left his
kingdom to his brother Athelbright.

About the same time the Danes began again to bestir
themselves, and attacked the city of Winchester and de-
stroyed it, on which Athelbright, after a long fight, forced
them to quit the land and to betake themselves to sea
again: but the Danes quickly returned to the Isle of Thanet,
where they remained for that winter, doing much mischief
upon the sea-coast, and destroying various places on the
coast of England. The English were very glad that they
durst venture no further, and the more, because the Welsh
began again to be troublesome, against whom an army was
speedily dispatched, in order to prevent the advance of the
Welsh to the English country. Both armies met at Gwey-
then, where a fierce battle was fought, and a great number

slain

26 HISTORY OF WALES.

slain on each side, but the victory was uncertain. The
Welsh, however, not long after, sustained a considerable
loss by the death of Conan Nant Nifer, a brave and skilful
commander, who oftentimes had valiantly repulsed the
English forces, and obtained many signal victories over
them.

The Danes had been for some time quiet, being unable
to venture upon any considerable action, and deeming it
adviseable to secure only what they had already won until
they received a reinforcement from their own country. This
was quickly sent them, under the command of Hungare and
Hubba, who landed in England with a very considerable
army of Danes. King Athelbright, whether terrified with
apprehension of these invaders, or otherwise being indis-
posed, quickly afterwards gave up the ghost, leaving the
management of his kingdom, together with that of his army
against the Danes, to his brother Ethelred. The Danes in
the mean time got sure footing, and advanced as far as
York, which they miserably wasted, killing Osbright and
Elba, two Kings of Northumberland that opposed them.
From hence they proceeded to overrun all the country as
far as Nottingham, destroying and spoiling all before them,
and then returned back to York : but having once tasted
how sweet was the spoil of a country much more fertile than
their own, they could not rest satisfied with what they had
already obtained, but made a farther progress into the
country, and attacked the kingdom of the East-Angles.
Edmund King of that country being unwilling to endure
their ravages, endeavoured to oppose them, but in the
undertaking was unfortunately slain. And now after the
same manner that the Saxons had formerly attained to the
conquest of Britain, the Danes proceeded to the conquest
of England; for the Saxons having found out the value of
this island, and withal discovered the weakness and inability
of the Britons to oppose them, brought over their hosts by
degrees and in several companies, by which they wearied
and tired out the British armies. It is certain that nothing
conduces more to the conquest of an island than the land-
ing an army at several places and at several times, thus
distracting the counsels arid proceedings of the inhabitants;
and which, in this instance, for want of sufficient power at
sea, could not be prevented. The Danes, being informed
of the good success of Hungare and Hubba in England,
sent over another army under the command of Basreck and
Aiding, who landed in Wessex, and fought five battles with
King Ethelred and his brother Alfred, namely, at Hengle-

field,

HISTORY OF WALES. 27

field, Eastondown, Redding, Basing, and Mereton, in which
two first the English were successful, and in the three last
the Danes obtained the victory.

Soon after this Etheldred died, leaving his kingdom to
his brother Alfred,* who, as soon as he had taken the
government upon him, considered within himself what a A.D. 872.
heavy burthen he had to sustain, and therefore he began to
enquire after the wisestf and most learned men, to be directed
by them, whom he worthily entertained, making use of their
advice as well in the public government of the kingdom as
in his private studies and conferences of learning. He sent
for two very learned men out of Wales, the one called John
de Erigena, surnamed Scotus, the other Asserius, surnamed
Menevensis. De Erigena was born at Menevia, or St.
David's, and was brought up in that college ; and, for the
sake of learning, having travelled to Athens, and bestowed
there many years in the study of the Greek, Hebrew, and
Chaldaic tongues, and in the mysteries of philosophy, came
to France, where he was well received by Carolus Calvus,
or Charles the Bald, and Ludovicus Balbus, or Lewis the
Stammerer; he there translated the work of Dionysius
Areopagita, De Ccelesti Hierarchia, out of the Greek into
the Latin tongue. Being returned to Wales, he was sent
for by this King Alfred, who was then founding and erect-
ing the University of Oxford, of which Erigena became the
first professor and public reader.^ Indeed, King Alfred
bore so great a respect to learning, that he would suffer
none to bear any considerable office in his court but such as
were learned ; and withal exhorted all persons to embrace
learning, and to honour learned men. But though a love to
learning be seldom reconcileable with a warlike and military
life, King Alfred was forced to regard the discipline of war,
so as to defend his kingdom against the increasing power of
the Danes. For he was scarce settled in his throne, but
this restless and ever-troublesome people began to molest
and destroy his country, insomuch that he was of necessity
forced to attack them, which he did twice upon the south
side of the river Thames, in which engagements he slew of
the Danes one king and nine earls, together with an innu-
merable multitude of inferior soldiers. About the same
time Gwgan ap Meyric ap Dunwal ap Arthen ap Sitsylht,
Prince of Cardigan, died, being (as some say) unfortunately
drowned. The late victories which Alfred had obtained
over the Danes, did not so much weaken and dishearten

them,

* William Malmsbury, lib. 2, cap. 4, p. 42.
t Polydore-Vergil, lib. 5, p. 106. } Chron. of Wales, p, 33.

28 HISTORY OF WALES.

them, but that in a short time they recovered their spirits
and began again to display a threatening aspect. For as
soon as they could re-unite their scattered forces, they
attacked and destroyed the town of Alclyde, obtained pos-
session of the city of London and Reading, and over-ran
all the inland country and the whole kingdom of Mercia.
Another army of Danes at the same time proved very
successful in the North, and possessed themselves of the
country of Northumberland, which did not so much grieve
the English as it annoyed the Picts and Scots, who were
frequently beat off by these Danish troops. The next year
three of the Danish captains marched from Cambridge
towards Wareham in Dorsetshire, of which expedition King
Alfred being informed, presently detached his forces to
oppose them, and to offer them battle. The Danes were so
alarmed at this, that they immediately desired peace, and
willingly consented forthwith to depart out of the country,
and to forswear the sight of English ground : according
to which capitulation the horse that night marched for
Exeter, and the foot being shipped off, were all of them
drowned at Sandwich. The Danes having thus left Eng-
land, were not willing to return home empty, but bent their
course against Wales. They fancied that they were like to
meet with no great opposition from the Welsh, and therefore
could carve for themselves according as their fancy directed
them ; but having landed their army in Anglesey, they
quickly experienced the contrary ; Prince Roderic opposing
them, gave them two battles, one at a place called Bengole,
A.D. 873. and the other at Menegid, in Anglesey. At the same time,
another army of Danes, under the command of Halden and
Hungare, landed in South Wales, over-ran the whole
country, destroying all before them, neither sparing churches
nor religious houses.* But they received their due reward
at the hands of the West Saxons, who, meeting with them
on the coasts of Devonshire, slew both Halden and Hungare,
with 1200 of their men. The same year Einion, Bishop of
St. David's, died, and was the following year succeeded by
Hubert, who was installed in his place.

A. D. 876. Th.e English, being rid of their powerful and ever restless
enemies the Danes, began now to quarrel with the Welsh.
Entering into Anglesey, with a numerous army, they fought

a

* Welsh Chron. p. 34.

About this time Roderic changed the royal residence from Caer Segont, near the
present town of Caernarvon, to Aberffraw, in Anglesey. It is strange that he should
desert a country where every mountain was a natural fortress ; and, in times of such
difficulty and danger, should make choice of a residence so exposed and defenceless.—
1 tow land's Muna Ant. p. 173.

HISTORY OF WALES. 29

a severe battle with Roderic, who, together with his brother
(or as others say his son) Gwyriad, was unhappily slain in
the field, which battle is called by the Welsh, Gwaith Duw
Sul y Mon.* ThisRoderic had issue (by his wife Angharad)
Anarawd, Cadelh, and Merfyn, the last of which, Giraldus
Cambrensis, contrary to the common and received opinion,
will have to be the eldest son of Roderic, upon whom was
bestowed the principality of North Wales; for it was
unanimously granted that Roderic was the undoubted pro-
prietor of all the Dominions of Wales; North Wales de-
scending unto him by his mother Esylht, the daughter and
sole heir of Conan Tindaethwy; South Wales by his
wife Angharad, the daughter of Meyric ap Dyfnwal ap
Arthen ap Sitsylht, King of Cardigan ; Powys by Nest, the
sister and heir of Cyngen ap Cadelh, King of Powys, his
father's mother. f These three districts Roderic apportioned
to his three sons, giving North Wales to his eldest son
Anarawd, and South Wales to Cadelh, who, shortly after
his father's death, forcibly seized upon the portion of his
brother Merfyn, upon whom Roderic had bestowed Powys-
land. Wales being thus divided between these three
princes, they were called Y Tri Tywysoc Talaethioc, or the
three crowned princes, by reason that each of them did wear
on his helmet a coronet of gold, being a broad head-band
indented upward, set and wrought with precious stones,
which in the British Tongue is called Talaeth. For each
of these princes Roderic built a royal residence : for the
Prince of Gwynedd, or North Wales, at Aberffraw; of
South Wales, at Dinefawr; for the Prince of Powys, at
Mathrafal. Roderic had issue also, besides these three,
Roderic, Meyric, Edwal or Tudwal, Gwyriad, and Gathelic.
Roderic, having divided his principality betwixt his
eldest sons, namely, Aberffraw, with the 15 cantreds there-
unto belonging, to Anarawd; Dinefawr, with its 15 can-
treds, extending from the mouth of the river Dyfi to the
mouth of the Severn, to Cadelh; and Powys, with 15
cantreds, from the mouth of the river Dee to the bridge
over the Severn at Gloucester, to Merfyn; ordained, " That
his eldest son, Anarawd,^ and his successors, should con-
tinue the payment of the ancient tribute to the Crown of
England ;§ and the other two, their heirs, and successors,
should acknowledge his sovereignty; and that upon any

foreign

* Welsh Chron. p. 35. f Rowland's Mona Ant. p. 174.

J Roderic, regarding likewise his eldest son Anarawd, as the immediate heir of the
Cynethian line, he left to him and his successors the title of JBrenhin Cymrv, Ollt or
King of all Wales.— Rowland's Mona, pp. 174, 175.

§ These tributes, according to Mr. Robert Vaughan, of Hengwrt, in Brit. Ant. Reviv.
pp. 39, 40, were paid in the following manner : — The Kings of North Wales were to pay

30 HISTORY OF WALES.

foreign invasion they should mutually aid and protect one
another."

He farther appointed, " That when any difference should
arise betwixt the Princes of Aberffraw and Cardigan or
Dinefawr, the three princes should meet at Bwylch-y-Pawl,*
and the Prince of Powys should be umpire : but if the
Princes of Aberffraw and Powys fell at variance, they should
meet at Dol Rhianedd, probably Morva Rhianedd, on the
bank of the River Dee, where the King of Cardigan was to
adjust the controversy. If the quarrel happened betwixt
the Princes of Powys and Cardigan, the meeting was ap-
pointed at Llys Wen upon the river Wye, and to be decided
by the Prince of Aberffraw."

And the better to frustrate any attempt of the English,
he ordained, moreover, ee That all strong holds, castles,
and citadels should be fortified and kept in repair ; that all
churches and religious houses should be re-edified and
adorned, and that in all ages the history of Britain, being
faithfully registered and transcribed, should be kept therein."

ANARAWD.

A.D. 877. 1 HE Welsh had often sorrowfully felt the unnatural
effects of inward seditions, and of being governed by several
princes, which were now about to be renewed by Roderic's
imprudent division of his dominions between his three sons.
The several principalities being united in him, it would
certainly have been the most politic means, for the preserva-
tion of the country from the inveterate fury of the English,
and for composing the inward differences which would other-
wise happen, to perpetuate .the whole government of Wales
in one prince ; it being impossible so effectually to oppose
the common enemy by separate armies, and where a different
interest interfered, as if the safety of the same country and
the honour of the prince were unanimously regarded. This
was the misfortune of the Ancient Britons when the Romans
invaded their country : domestic broils and inward dissen-
sions being sown among themselves, they could not agree to
unite their powers and jointly to oppose the common enemy ;

so

£63 to the crown of London ; the Princes of Powys four tons of flour, and the Princes
of South Wales four tons of honey, to the Sovereigns of North Wales. The royal tribute
was called Teyrnged j that paid from the Princes of South Wales and Powys to the
Sovereign of North Wales, was called Madged.

* In the present county of Montgomery.

HISTORY OF WALES. 31

so that Tacitus wisely concludes,*— Dum singuli pugnant
universi vincuntur.

There are few nations but have experienced the folly of
being rent into several portions ; and the downfal of the
Roman empire may, not without reason, be attributed to
Constantine's division of it between his sons. The Welsh
at this time soon felt the unhappiness of being in separate
states ; for Cadelh Prince of South Wales being dissatisfied
with his portion, and desirous to feed his ambition with
larger territories, seized part of his brother Merfyn's country,
and, attempting forcibly to dispossess him of his lawful
inheritance, involved the Welsh in a civil war.

The succession of the Princes of Wales proceeded in
Anarawd, the eldest son of Roderic, who began his reign
over North Wales in the year 877.* At that time Rollo, A.D.877.
with a numerous army of Normans, descended into France,
and possessed themselves of the country of Neustria, which
from them has since received the name of Normandy. The
treacherous Danes in England, also, who had retired to the
city of Exeter, violated the capitulation which they had
lately sworn to observe, and upon that account were so
warmly pressed by King Alfred, that they gladly delivered
up hostages for the performance of the articles formerly
agreed upon between them. It was not, however, their
intention to keep them long; for the next year they again
broke loose, possessed themselves of all the country upon
the north side of the Thames, and, passing the river, put
the English to flight, and made themselves masters of Chip-
penham in Wessex: but their whole army did not succeed
so well; for Alfred, meeting with a party of them, slew
their captain and took their standard, which the Danes
called RAVEN. After this, he vanquished them again at
Edendown, where, the Danes having given hostages for
their peaceable behaviour, Godrun, their commander, re-
ceived the Christian faith, and so reigned in East Angle.
This period seemed to portend a great storm upon Wales; A.D. 878.
for besides the death of Aeddan, the son of Melht, a noble-
man of the country, the articles of composition between the
English and Danes occasioned these last to join their power
with the people of Mercia to fight against the Welsh, with
whom a severe battle was fought at Conwey, wherein the
Welsh obtained a signal victory, which was called " Dial
Rodri, or the Revenge of the Death of Prince Roderic."

The reason why the Mercians were so irreconcileably en-
raged

* Rowland, p. 174.

This territory was the Venedocia of the Romans, and was by the Britons called
Gwynedh. — Humff. Lhuyd, p. 64.

32 HISTORY OF WALES.

raged against the Welsh at this time was this : After the
death of Roderic the Great, the northern Britons of Strat-
clwyd and Cumberland were much infested and weakened
by the daily incursions of the Danes, Saxons, and Scots,
insomuch that as many oi? them as would not submit their
necks to the yoke were forced to quit their country and to
seek for more quiet habitations: therefore, about the be-
ginning of Anarawd's reign, many of them came to Gwynedd,
under the conduct of one Hobert, whose distressed condi-
tion the prince commiserating, granted them all the country
betwixt Chester and Conwey to seat themselves in, in case
they could drive out the Saxons who had lately possessed
themselves of it.

The Britons having expressed their thanks to Anarawd,
presently fell to work, and necessity giving edge to their
valour, they easily dispossessed the Saxons, who were not
as yet secure in their possessions. For some time the
Welsh continued peaceably in these parts reconquered; but
Eadred, Duke of Mercia, called by the Welsh Edryd
Wallthir, not being able any longer to bear such ari igno-
minious ejection, made great preparations for the regaining
of the country. The northern Britons, however, who had
settled themselves there, having intelligence of his design,
for the better security of their cattle and other effects,
removed them beyond the river Conwey. Prince Anarawd
in the mean time was not idle, but drawing together all the
strength he could raise, encamped his army near the town of
Conwey, at a place called Cymryt, where himself and his
men having made gallant resistance against the pressing
efforts of the Saxons, obtained a very complete victory.

This battle was by some called Gwaeth Cymryt Conwey,
by reason that it was fought in the township of Cymryt, near
Conwey; but Prince Anarawd would have it called " Dial
Rodri," because he had there revenged the death of his
father Rodri.

In this battle Tudwal, Rodri's son, received a wound in
the knee, which caused him to be denominated Tudwal
Gloffever after; and for his signal service in this action his
brethren bestowed upon him Uchelogoed Gwynedd. The
Britons, pursuing their victory, chased the Saxons quite out
of Wales into Mercia, where, having burnt and destroyed
the borders, they returned home laden with rich spoils, and
so took possession of the country betwixt Chester and Con-
wey, which for a long time after they peaceably enjoyed.
Anarawd, to express his thankfulness to God for this great
victory, gave very considerable lands and possessions to ^the

collegiate

HISTORY OF WALES. 33

collegiate churches of Bangor and Clynnoc Vawr in Arfon.
After this, those Danes that lay at Fulhenham, near Lon-
don, crossed the sea to France, and passing to Paris along
the river Seine, spoiled the country thereabouts, vanquishing
the French that came against them ; but in their return
towards the sea coast they were met by the Britons of
Armorica, who slew the greatest part of them, and the rest,
confusedly endeavouring to escape to their ships, were
drowned.

It might have been supposed that the several misfortunes
the Danes sustained, first at Sandwich, then by King Alfred,
and afterwards in France, would have quite drained their
number, and utterly have rid Britain from so troublesome
an enemy ; but, like ill weeds, the more they were rooted
up, the faster they grew : the Danes were still supplied from
abroad, and if an army was vanquished here, another was
sure to come in their room. This the Welsh found to be
too true; for not long after this great defeat by the Ar-
morican Britons, the Danes, not able to venture upon these,
were resolved to revenge themselves upon their friends of
Wales ; and therefore landing in North W ales, they cruelly
harassed and destroyed the country. Nor is it matter of
surprise from whence such a wonderful number of Danes
and Normans could come ; for the kingdom of Denmark
had under it not only Denmark, which is a small country
divided by the sea into insulas and peninsulas (as that
which joins upon Saxony and Holsatia, called Cymbrica
Chersonesus, with the islands of Zealand and Finnen), but
also Norway, and the large country of Sweden, reaching to
Muscovy, and almost to the North Pole. This country
being then scarce known to the world, did, all at once as it
were, pour out a vast multitude of people, who, like a
sudden storm, unexpectedly over-ran all Europe, with a
great portion of Africa. From hence proceeded the Danes
who annoyed England, and the Normans who conquered
France, both nations being originally derived from the same
stock.

The Danes had not appeared in England for some time, A,D- 890.
and therefore they now resolved to take so sure a footing
that they could not easily be repulsed. Two hundred and
fifty sail of vessels having landed the troops they had on
board at Lymene, in Kent, hard by the great forest of
Andreslege, they built the castle of Auldre or Apledore.
At the same time Hasting, with a fleet of eighty sail, ven-
tured to the Thames mouth, and built the castle of Mydl-

ton,

34 HISTORY OF WALES.

ton, having first made an oath to King Alfred not to molest
him or any of his subjects : but having built the castle of
Beamfleet, he thought he had obtained so much strength
that there was no necessity of observing the oath he had
lately sworn to King Alfred, and therefore invaded the
country round about him ; but he soon found his mistake,
and was forced to retire to his castle, which was quickly
pulled down, and his wife and two sons taken prisoners,
who, after they had been baptized in the Christian church,
were again restored to their father. Upon this Hasting and
his Danes departed from England, and proceeded to France,
where, laying siege to the city of Limogis, and despairing
of a speedy surrender of it, he betook himself to his usual
way of dealing sinistrously, and plotted this device to win
the town : He feigned himself to be dangerously sick, and
sent to the bishop and the consul of the city, desiring
of them most earnestly that he might be admitted to the
Christian faith, and be baptized before his departure out of
this world. The bishop and consul, suspecting no deceit,
were very glad, not only to be delivered from the present
danger of being besieged, but also to win so great a person
to the congregation of Christ. Whereupon a peace being
concluded betwixt both nations, Hasting was baptized, the
bishop and consul being his godfathers : which ceremony
being ended, he was carried back by his soldiers to his
ship, in a very infirm condition, as he outwardly pretended.
About midnight he caused himself, with his arms about
him, to be laid on a bier, and commanded his soldiers to
carry their weapons with them under their coats, and so to
be ready when he should give them the word. The next
day, all things being in readiness, he was solemnly brought
by his soldiers, with great clamour and counterfeit mourn-
ing, to be interred in the chief church of the city, where the
bishop and consul, accompanied by all the most honourable
members of the town, came to honour the funeral; but
when the bishop had made himself ready to bury the body,
and all the citizens were in the church, up starts Hasting
with his sword drawn, and killing first the bishop and the
consul, afterwards fell in with his armed soldiers upon the
naked people, putting all to the sword, and sparing neither
age, sex, nor infirmity. Having ransacked the town, he
sent messengers to Charles, the French king, to mediate for
peace, which he easily obtained, together with the town of
Chartres towards the defraying of his charges.

A.D. 891. At this time Hennith ap Bledric, a baron of Wales, died ;
893. and two years after, Anarawd Prince of North Wales, with

HISTORY OF WALES. 35

a considerable number of English, marched against his
brother Cadelh, and spoiled the countries of Cardigan and
Ystradgwy.* At the same time the Danes laid siege to the
city of Exeter; and when Alfred had marched to oppose
them, they that had continued in the castle of Auldre passed
over to Essex, and built another castle at Scobrith, and
from thence marched to Budington, seated upon the Severn.
When Alfred came near to Exeter, the Danes immediately
raised the siege, and betaking themselves to their ships,
sailed towards Wales, spoiled the sea-coast thereof, and
advanced as far as Buellt.

The Danes at Budington f being informed that King
Alfred was marching against them, fled back to their castle
in Essex, so *that the king was obliged to alter his march,
and to direct his forces against Leicester, where a party of
Danes was so warmly besieged, that at length they were
reduced to such extremity as to compel them to feed upon
their horses. The season of the year for action, however,
being ended, and the severity of the weather being extreme,
Alfred was forced to raise the siege, and to wait the next
opportunity for the recovery of the town ; but before he A. D. 895.
could besiege it again the Danes had quitted it, and, toge-
ther with those in Northumberland, proceeded by the
North Sea to Meresige, an isle in Essex. The next year 896.
they entered the Thames, and built a castle twenty miles
distant from London, and presuming on its strength, they
ventured to spoil and waste the country thereabouts ; but
they paid very dear for their temerity ; for, being accident-
ally met with, they were completely overthrown, having four
of their princes slain upon the spot, and the remainder of
their forces being very glad to make their escape to the
castle. Upon this Alfred divided the river into three
streams, by which stratagem the water became so diminished
in the Thames that the Danish ships could not return back
into the sea. When the Danes perceived this, and found it
impracticable to escape in their ships, they left their wives
and children and all their effects in Essex, and so proceeded
by land to Enadbryge upon the Severn, and then passing
the river, spoiled the countries of Brecknock, Gwentland,
and Gwentlhwg. Some of them, at the same time, passed
over to France ; and another body, coasting about Devon-
shire, destroyed the maritime countries, but being met with

by
D 2

* Chronicle of Wales.

"t A village pleasantly situated on the banks of the Severn, about two miles from
Welshpool on the Salop road, now called Buttington.

36 HISTORY OF WALES.

by the English, lost six of their ships in the conflict that
took place.

A. D. 897. The following summer the kingdom of Ireland suffered
extremely by locusts, which consumed all the com and all
the grass throughout the whole country ; in consequence of
which public prayers and fasting were directed for their
destruction. These reptiles are common in Africa and
other hot regions, but are seldom seen in colder climates ;
and when they happen to travel so far, they are, as else-
where, very pestilential and destructive to the country in
which they deposit themselves.

900. This year Igmond, with a great number of Danes, landed
in Anglesey, and was met with by the Welsh at a place
called Molerain, where Merfyn* was slain; though others
call it Meilon, and, from the battle fought there, Maes Rhos
Meilon. The same year King Alfred died, who directed
the translation of the ancient laws of Dyfhwal Moelmut,
King of Britain, and the laws of Queen Marsia, out of
British into English, and called it Marsian law, which was
afterwards called West Saxon law, and observed in part of
Mercia, with all the countries south of Thames ; the other
part of the country having another law called Dane Lex ;
both of which remained to the time of Edward the Confessor,
which latter sovereign out of these two made one law. It is
related of King Alfred that he divided the natural day into
three parts — the first he set apart for devotion and study,
the next for the affairs of the commonwealth, and the third
for his own rest and refreshment.

Alfred being dead, Edward, his eldest son, took upon
him the crown, which so displeased the ambitious spirit of
his brother Adelwulph, that he immediately raised a cruel
war against him, and proceeding to Northumberland, stirred
up the Danes against his brother Edward. The Danes were
glad of the opportunity, which afforded a plausible pretence
for rendering themselves masters of the whole island ; and
therefore Adelwulph was declared king, as well of the
Angles as of the Danes, who by this time were grown to be,
as it were, one people. Marching then proudly with a very
considerable army at his heels, Adelwulph subdued the
East Saxons, spoiled the country of Mercia, and passing
over the Thames at Crickland, destroyed Brythend, and
returned home with very great booty. At the same time
Euneth was slain in Arwystly. Edward being informed of
his brother's retreat, pursued him eagerly, and, missing
him, over-ran and destroyed all the country betwixt Ouse

and

* Prince of Powys.

HISTORY OF WALES. 37

and the Dike of St. Edmund, and then returned home with
his whole army, excepting the Kentish men, who being too
greedy of plunder, rashly tarried behind. The Danes per-
ceiving the body of the army to be returned, and that a
small party still continued to ravage the country, attacked
the Kentish men, slew a great number of them, and put the
rest to a shameful flight. Nor were the Danes only power-
ful in England, but they molested and grew prevalent in
Ireland : for this year they entered that kingdom, slew A. D. 905.
Carmot, king and bishop of all Ireland, a religious and
virtuous person, the son of Gukeman ; and Kyrnalt, the son
of Murgan King of Lagines. The next year died Asser, 906.
Archbishop of St. David's, uncle to the famous and learned
Asser, surhamed Menevensis ; who, being chancellor to his
uncle, the archbishop, was sent for by King Alfred to
instruct his children, whose life he afterwards wrote, and
was made bishop of Shireburn.

Edward, to force his brother from his country, and to
revenge the death of the Kentishmen, dispatched an army
to Northumberland, which having destroyed the country
returned home : upon which the Danes, as a return for this
inroad, destroyed a great part of Mercia : but within a short
time after, Edward, having raised a very considerable army,
gave the Danes battle, overthrew them, and slew their kings
Alden and Edelwulph, with a great number of their nobles.
This added much to his dominions, which were the more
increased and strengthened by the addition of the cities of
London and Oxford ; which, upon the death of Edelred
Duke of Mercia, Edward took into his own hands, permit-
ting his widow Elfleda to enjoy the rest of Edelred's
dukedom. Shortly after, Cadelh Prince of South Wales
died, leaving three sons-~-Howel I)ha,* or the Good (who 907.
suceeded his father), Meyric, and Clydawc. King Edward
having obtained so signal a victory over the Danes, and
rendered his kingdom for some time quiet, began to build
places of strength, which might be serviceable against a
future occasion. He built a castle at Hertford, betwixt the
rivers Benefic, Minier, and Lige; he also established the
borough of Wytham in Essex ; and continued some time in
Wealdyne, to keep those countries in awe. In spite, how-
ever, of all this precaution, the Danes of Leycester and
Hampton began the following year to be very troublesome,

slew

* Howel Dha, the Welsh Justinian, was, according to the Triades, ranked with Pry (lain
and Dyfnwal under the appellation of the three good princes of Britain. — In the Triades,
Anarawd and his brothers have the appellation of the th.ree diademed princes; they were
also called the three bandlet-weAring kings of the Isle of Britain, and the three bandlet-
wearing princes.

38 HISTORY OF WALES.

slew a great number of English at Hotchnorton, and in their
return homeward destroyed the country about Oxford.
About the same time a considerable fleet from Tydwike,
under the command of Uther and Ranald, sailed by the
western sea to Wales, and destroyed St. David's ; at which
place was fought the battle of Dinarth, where Mayloc, the
son of Peredur Gam, was slain. After this they entered
A.D. 911. Herefordshire, where, in another encounter, Rahald was
slain, and the remains of his troops were compelled to swear
they would quit the king's land, and never return any more
to England. King Edward, to prevent any future disturb-
ance from such open invaders, caused a strong army to be
quartered upon the south side of Severn ; but the Danes,
notwithstanding all his efforts, entered twice into his coun-
try, once at Werd, and then at Portogan, but were each
time overthrown by the English. On their departure they
proceeded to the Isle of Stepen, whence they were forced
by hunger to sail to South Wales, intending to make a
considerable prey of that country ; but failing of their aim,
they were constrained to make the best of their way for
Ireland. The next year a party of Danes fought a very
severe battle with the Kentish men at Holm, but which
party obtained the victory is not certainly known. About
913. the same time, Anarawd Prince of North Wales died,
leaving two sons, Edwal Foel and Elis, and some say a
third, named Meyric.

EDWAL FOEL *

913. AFTER the death of Anarawd, his eldest son, Edwal
Foel, took upon him the government of North Wales,
Howel Dha holding the principality of South Wales and
Powys. At this time a great comet appeared in the hea-
vens. The same year the city of Chester, which had been
destroyed by the Danes, was, by the procurement of Elfleda,
new built and repaired, as the ancient records of that city
testify. This in the ancient copy is called Leycester, by an
easy mistake for Legecestria or Chester, called by the
Romans Legionum Cestria. The next summer the men of
Dublin laid waste the Isle of Anglesey,f and soon after
Clydawc, the son of Cadelh, was unnaturally slain by his

brother

* He married the daughter of his uncle Mervyn, the late Prince of Powys.— Brit. Ant.
Revived, hy Mr. R. Vaughan, of Hengwrt, f. 4.

f Welsh Chron. pp. 45-47.

HISTORY OF WALES. 39

brother Meyric, about the same time that the Danes were
completely overthrown by the English at Tottenhale. But
Elfleda did not long survive the rebuilding of the city of
Chester. She was a woman of singular virtues, and one that
greatly strengthened the kingdom of Mercia by building
towns and castles against the incursions of the Danes ; as
Strengat and Bruge, by the forest of Morph, Tarn worth,
Stafford, Edelburgh, Cherenburgh, Wadeburgh, and Run-
cofe; after which she entered with her whole army into
Wales, won Brecknock, and took the queen with thirty-three
of her attendants prisoners ; which affair in Welsh is called
" Gwaith y Ddinas Newydd," or the Battle of the New
City. From thence she marched for Derby, which she
took from the Danes, losing, however, four of her chief
commanders in the action.

The occasion of these two expeditions, according to some,
was this : Huganus, Lord of West Wales, perceiving King
Edward to be wholly engaged by the Danish war, gathered
an army of Britons, and entering England, destroyed the
king's country. Upon the news of this reaching Elfleda,
she came to Wales with a great army, fought with the
Welsh at Brecknock, and putting Huganus to flight, took
his wife and some of his men prisoners, whom she carried
with her to Mercia. Huganus being thus defeated, fled to
Derby, and being there kindly received, joined himself with
the king's enemies, the Danes. Elfleda being informed of
that, followed him with her army ; but in storming the
gates of the town, had four of her best officers killed by
Huganus. But Gwyane, Lord of the Isle of Ely, her
steward, setting fire to the gates, furiously attacked the
Britons and entered the town ; upon which Huganus, per-
ceiving himself over-matched, chose rather to fall by the
sword than cowardly to yield himself to a woman. The
next year Elfleda laid siege to the city of Leicester, which
was quickly surrendered, and the Danes therein completely
subdued. The fame of these several actions being noised
abroad, her neighbours became fearful and timorous ; and
the Yorkshiremen voluntarily did her homage, and proffered
their service. She died at Tamwortii, after eight years'
rule over Mercia, and lies buried at Gloucester, by St.
Peter's.

After the death of Elfleda, King Edward most ungratefully
disinherited her daughter, Alfwyen, and entering into Mer-
cia, took all the province into his own hands, upon pretence
that she, without his knowledge (whom her mother had
appointed her guardian), had privily promised and con-
tracted

40 HISTORY OF WALES.

traded marriage with Raynald King of the Danes. This
unjust and unnatural action of King Edward's possibly
brought upon him those great troubles which afterwards
ensued. For Leofred, a Dane, and Gruffydh ap Madoc,
brother-in-law to the Prince of West Wales, came from
Ireland with a great army to Snowdon, and intending to
bring all Wales and the marches thereof to their subjection,
over-ran and subdued all the country to Chester before King
Edward was informed of their arrival : whereat being much
offended, and unwilling to call upon his subjects for aid, he
vowed that himself and his sons, with their own followers
only, would be revenged upon Leofred and Gruffydh ; and
thereupon marching to Chester, took the city from them.
Then he separated his army into two divisions, whereof he
and his son Athelstane led the first, Edmund and Edred
the second, and followed the enemy so close, that he over-
took them at the forest of Walewode (now Sherwode),
where Leofred and Gruffydh turned upon them so fiercely
that the king at first was in some danger ; until Athelstane
stepped in and wounded the Dane in the arm so severely,
that being no longer able to hold his spear, he was taken
prisoner, and committed to the custody of Athelstane. In
the mean time, Edmund and Edred, encountering with
Gruffydh, slew him, and brought his head to their father ;
and Leofred's head being likewise cut off, they were both
set up in the city of Chester ; and then Edward, together
with his sons, triumphantly returned home. King Edward,
A.D. 924, having built Glademutham, soon afterwards died at Faran-
don, and his son Alfred expired at the same time at Oxford,
and they were both buried at Winchester.

Edward being dead, his illegitimate son Athelstane, who
had given evidence of great talents, was advanced to the
throne; being the worthiest prince of the Saxon blood that
ever reigned. He overcame Cudfry d, father of Raynald, King
of the Danes, at York, and the country being invaded by
Hawlaf, King of Ireland, who with all the power of the Scots
and Danes marched against him, Athelstane gave him battle
at Brimestbury, and obtained a signal victory, KingHawlaf,
together with the King of the Scots, and five Kings of the
Danes and Normans, being slain upon the spot ; so that the
whole country of England and Scotland became subject to
him, a degree of power which none of his predecessors had
attempted to possess.

S33. Sometime after, Owen, the son of Gruffydh, was slain by
the men of Cardigan: and then Athelstane, entering with
his army into Wales, forced the princes thereof to consent

tc

HISTORY OF WALES. 41

to pay a yearly tribute of £20 in gold, £300 in silver,
200* head of cattle; which, however, was not observed, as
appears by the laws of Howel Dha, wherein it is appointed,
that the Prince of Abertfraw should pay no more to the
King of London than £66 tribute; and that the Princes of
Dinefawr and Powys should pay the like sum to the Prince
of Aberffraw. King Athelstane was not less terrible abroad,
than he was reverenced at home, the Kings of France and
Norway sending him very great and costly presents, to
obtain his favour and to ensure his good-will.

This year, Euneth, the son of Clydawc, and Meyric, the A.D. 936.
son of Cadelh, died. At the same time, King Athelstane
removed the Britons who lived at Exeter and the neigh-
bouring country into Cornwall, bounding them by the river
Cambria (now Tamar), as the Britons of Wales with the 939.
Wye. Not long after, the noble Prince Athelstane died, to
the great and inexpressible sorrow of all his subjects, and
was buried at Malmesbury. He was succeeded by his
brother Edmund, not inferior to him in courage, and pre-
ferable by right of nativity, being born in wedlock. In the
first year of his reign, he gave a very considerable blow to
the Danes, took from them the towns of Leicester, Derby,
Stafford, Lincoln, and Nottingham; on which Aulate,
King of the Danes, finding it impracticable to withstand
the force of King Edmund, desired peace, and withal to be
initiated into the Christian Faith ; this was granted, and all
the Danes received baptism, King Edmund standing god-
father at the font: after which, both parties concluded
peace, and Edmund honourably returned to West Saxony.

The same year died Abloic, chief King of Ireland : and
the year following, Cadelh, the son of Arthual, a nobleman
of Wales, was, for reasons not known, imprisoned by the
English. To revenge this indignity, Edwal Foel and
his brother Elis gathered their forces together and fought
against the English and Danes, but were both unhappily
slain. f

This Edwal Foel had six sons,T— Meyric, levaf, lago,
Conan, Edwal Fychan, and Roderic: and his brother Elis
had issue Conan, and a daughter named Trawst,J the
mother of Conan ap Sitsylht, Gruffydh ap Sitsylht, and
Blethyn ap Confyn, which two last were afterwards Princes
of Wales. HOWEL

* According to Warrington's History of Wales (vol. i. f. 235), two thousand five
hnndred head of cattle. — See Brompton's Chrou. p. 838, with respect to the tribute, with
the difference only of doubling the number of cattle ; Stowe's Chron. p. 82 ; Welsh Chron.
p. 50 3 Grafton's Chron. p. 149, published Ann. 15.69.

t Welsh Chron. 51.
I Welsh Chron. p. 51— British Antiq. Revived by Vaughan of Hengwrt, p. 14.

42 HISTORY OF WALES.

HOWEL DHA.

A.D. 940. OWEL DHA had been for a considerable time Prince
of South Wales and Powys, which government he had so
justly and discreetly conducted, that upon the death of
Edwal Foel he was preferred to the entire Principality of
Wales, notwithstanding Edwal had left behind him several
sons, who at first murmured at and resented the election of
Howel Dha. The first thing he did was to enact whole-
some laws for the benefit of his country, which laws were
in force in Wales until the time of Edward I. when the
Welsh received the laws of England, yet not so generally,
but that in some places these continued long after, and are
still to be read in the Welsh and Latin tongues : for Howel
Dha, perceiving the laws and customs of his country to have
given rise to great abuse, sent for the Archbishop of Mene-
via, with the rest of the bishops and chief clergy, to the
number of one hundred and forty, and all the barons and
nobles of Wales, and ordered that six of the wisest and most
esteemed persons in every commote should be cited before
him, at his palace, called y Ty Gwyn ar Taf,* or the White
House upon the river Taf. Thither coming himself, he
remained with his nobles, prelates, and subjects for all the
Lent, using prayers and fasting, and imploring the assistance
and direction of God's Holy Spirit, that he might reform
the laws and customs of the country of Wales, to the ho-
nour of God and the peaceable government of his subjects.
Towards the end of Lent he chose out of that assembly
twelve of the wisest and gravest, and persons of the greatest
experience, to whom he added Blegored,f a man of singular
learning, and one eminently versed in the laws. To these
he gave commission to examine the ancient laws and customs
of Wales, and to collect out of them what was requisite
towards the government of the country; accordingly they
retained those that were wholesome and profitable, ex-
pounded those that were doubtful and ambiguous, and
abrogated such as were superfluous or injurious classes.ij:
The laws thus framed were distinguished into three classes :
the first concerned the order and regulation of the king's

household

* Belonging to King Howel. — Welsh CLron. p. 53.

f Blegored or Blegwryd was Chancellor of Llandaff, and brother of Morgan, King
of Morganwg, and was considered the greatest scholar of his time in Wales.

J The system was formed on the basis of the ancient national laws, said to have been
originally framed by Moelmutius, who reigned in Britain 441 years before Christ. —
Holinshead, p. 177.

HISTORY OF WALES. 43

household and court ; the second the affairs of the country
and commonwealth; and the last had regard to special
customs belonging to particular persons and places; — all
which being publicly proclaimed and generally allowed,
Prince Howel ordered three copies to be written; one for
his own use, another to be laid up at his palace of Aber-
ffraw, and the third at Dinefawr; so that the three pro-
vinces of Wales might have easy recourse to either of them,
when occasion required: and for the better observation of
these laws he caused the Archbishop of St. David to
denounce sentence of excommunication against all such of
his subjects as would not obey the same.

Within a short time after, Howel, to omit nothing that
might give countenance or authority to these laws, accom-
panied by Lambert, Archbishop of St. David, Mordaf,
Bishop of Bangor, and Chebur of St. Asaph, and thirteen
of the most prudent and learned persons in Wales, took a
journey to Rome, where the said laws being recited before
the Pope, were by his Holiness ratified and confirmed:
after which, Howel, with all his retinue, returned home to
his country.*

The particulars of these laws are too numerous to be
here inserted ;f but it may be observed, that all matters of
inheritance of land were determined and adjudged by the
prince in person ; or, if sick, by his special deputy ; and
that upon view of the same land, citing together the free-
holders of that place, two elders of his council, the chief
justice always attending in the court, the ordinary judge of
the country where the land lay, and the priest. The method
of their proceeding was in this manner:

The prince sat in his judicial seat above the rest of the
court, with an elder on each hand, next to whom the free-
holders on both sides, who upon that account were probably
called Uchelwyr. Below the prince, at a certain distance,
sat the chief justice, having the priest on his right hand
and the ordinary judge of the country concerned upon the
left. The court being thus formed, the plaintiff with his
advocate, champion, and Rhingylh or sergeant, stood on
the left side of the court, as did the defendant in like man-
ner on the right : and lastly, the witnesses on both sides
appeared, and stood at the lower end of the hall, directly
opposite to the chief justice, to testify the best of their
knowledge in the matter in debate. After taking the
depositions of the witnesses, and a full pleading of the

cause

* Welsh Chron. p. 54
f Vide Topographical Notices in vol. 2 of this work.

44 HISTORY OF WALES.

cause in open court, upon notice given by the sergeant, the
chief justice, the priest, and the ordinary judge, withdrew
themselves for a while, to consult of the matter ; and then,
secundum allegata et probata, brought in their verdict.
Whereupon the prince, after consultation had with the
elders that sat next him, gave definite sentence ; excepting
the cause was so obscure and intricate that the justice of it
could not be made apparent, and then the two champions
put an end to the controversy by combat.

Whilst Howel Dha was thus regulating the customs, and
meliorating the laws and constitutions of Wales, Aulafe
and Reginald, Kings of the Danes, forcibly entered the
country of King Edmund, who being annoyed by their
incessant hostility, gathered his forces together, and (as
some say), by the help of Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht, who was
afterwards Prince of Wales, followed them to North-
umberland, and having overcome them in a pitched battle,
utterly drove them out of his kingdom, and remained a
whole year in those parts to regulate and bring that country
to quiet subjection : but finding it impracticable to reduce
the inhabitants of Cumberland to any peaceable condition,
he spoiled and wasted the country, and gave it up to
Malcolm King of Scotland, upon condition that he should
send him succours in his wars whenever demanded of him.
A.D. 942. In the mean time the Welsh had but little occasion to
rejoice ; Hubert Bishop of St. David, Marclois Bishop of
944. Bangor, and Ussa the son of Lhafyr, died : and shortly after,
the English entering into Wales with a very strong army,
put the inhabitants into a great consternation; but being
satisfied with the destruction and spoil of Strat Clwyd, they
returned home without doing any more mischief. At the
same time Conan the son of Elis narrowly escaped being
treacherously put to death by poison; and Evei'us Bishop
of St. David died. The next year Edmund King of Eng-
land was unhappily slain upon St. Augustine's day ; but the
manner of his death is variously stated ; some say, that
discovering a noted thief, who was outlawed, sitting among
his guests, being transported with indignation against so
daring a villain, he ran upon him very furiously : the out-
law expecting nothing less than death, determined to die
revenged, and therefore with a short dagger gave the king a
mortal wound in the breast. Others report, that as the
king would have rescued a servant of his from an officer that
had arrested him, he was unwittingly and unhappily slain
by the same. However his death happened, he lies buried
at Glastonbury, and his brother Edrcd was crowned King

of

HISTORY OF WALES. 45

of England, who, as soon as he had entered upon his
government, made an expedition against Scotland and
Northumberland, which being subdued, he received fealty
and homage (by oath) of the Scots and Northumbrians;
an undertaking that they did not long observe. In a short
time, Howel Dha, after a long and peaceable reign over A. D. 948.
Wales, died, much lamented by all his subjects, being a
prince of a religious and virtuous inclination, and one that
ever regarded the welfare and prosperity of his people.
He left issue, — Owen, Run, Roderic, and Edwyn, betwixt
whom and the sons of Edwal Foel,* late Prince of North
Wales, great wars and commotions subsequently arose as to
the chief rule and government of Wales.

The sons of Howel Dha, as some writers record, were
these, viz. Owen who did not long survive his father,
Eineon, Meredyth, Dyfnwal, and Rodri, the two last of
whom, as is believed, were slain in the battle fought near
Lhanrwst in the year 952, by the sons of Edwal Foel ; Run,
Lord of Cardigan, who was slain before the death of his
father; Conan y Cwn, who possessed Anglesey; Edwin,
who was also slain, as is supposed, in the beforementioned
battle. There was also another battle fought betwixt
Howel and Conan ap Edwal Foel for the Isle of Anglesey,
wherein Conan fell ; and Gruffydh his son renewing the war,
was likewise overcome ; and so Cyngar, a powerful person,
being driven out of the island, Howel enjoyed quiet posses-
sion thereof, and of the rest of Gwynedh. It is conjectured
that this Howel Dha was chosen governor of Wales, during
the minority of his uncle Anarawd's sons, who, at the death
of their father, were too young to manage the principality;
which he kept till his return from Rome, at which time,
Edwal Foel being come of age, he resigned to him the
kingdom of Gwynedh or North Wales, together with the
sovereignty of all Wales. Before which time Howel is
styled Brenhin Cymry oil, that is, King of all Wales, as is
seen in the preface to that body of laws compiled by him.

IEVAF AND IAGO,

THE SONS OF EDWAL FOEL.

AFTER the death of Howel Dha, his sons divided
betwixt them the principalities of South Wales and
Powys; laying no claim to North Wales, though their
father had been a general Prince of all Wales. But levaf

* Welsh Chron. p. 58.

46 HISTORY OF WALES.

and lago, the sons of Edwal Foel, having put by their elder
brother Meyric,* as a person incapable of government, and
being dissatisfied with the rule of North Wales only,
imagined that the principality of all Wales was their right,
as descending from the elder house ; which the sons of
Howel Dha denied them. Indeed, they had been wrong-
fully kept out of the government of North Wales during the
reign of Howel ; in whose time the recovery of their own
was impracticable, by reason that, for his moderation and
other good qualities, he had attracted to himself the uni-
versal love of all the Welsh. But now, he being gone, they
were resolved to revenge the injury received from him upon
his sons : and upon a small pretence, they endeavoured to
reduce the whole country of Wales to their own subjection,
levaf and lago were indeed descended from the elder
branch ; but since Roderic the Great conferred the prin-
cipality of South Wales upon his younger son Cadelh, the
father of Howel Dha, it was but just his sons should enjoy
what had legally descended to them from their father:
ambition, however, seldom gives place to equity ; and there-
fore, right or wrong, levaf and lago would have a contest
for South Wales, which they entered with a great army ;
and being opposed, they obtained a victory over Owen and
his brethren the sons of Howel, at the hills of Carno.f
A.D. 950. The next year the two brothers entered twice into South
Wales, destroyed and wasted Dyfet, and slew Dwnwalhon

951. Lord of the country : shortly after which, Roderic, the third

952. son of Howel Dha, died. His brethren perceiving the
folly of standing only upon the defensive, mustered all their
forces together, and entering North W ales, marched as far
as Lhanrwst upon the river Conwy; where levaf and
lago met them. A very sanguinary battle ensued upon this,
and a great number were slain on both sides, among whom
were Anarawd the son of Gwyriad, the son of Roderic the
Great ; and Edwyn the son of Howel Dha. But victory
favoured the brothers levaf and lago ; so that the Princes
of South Wales were obliged to retire to Cardiganshire,
whither they were warmly pursued; and that country was

953. severely harassed by fire and sword.J The next year
Merfyn was unhappily drowned ; and shortly after Congelach
King of Ireland was slain.

The Scots and Northumbrians having lately sworn
allegiance to King Edred, he had scarcely returned to his
own country, before Aulafe, with a great army, landed in

North-

* Welsh Chron. pp. 59 and 60. f Welsh Chron. pp. 59 and 60.

t Welsh Chron. pp. 60 and 61.

HISTORY OF WALES. 47

Northumberland, and was with much rejoicing received by
the inhabitants. Before, however, he could secure himself
in the government, he was ignominiously banished the
country ; and the Northumbrians elected one Hircius, the
son of Harold, for their king. But to shew the inconstancy
of an unsettled multitude, they soon grew weary of Hircius,
and after a period of three years expelled him, and volun-
tarily submitted themselves to Edred, who, after he had
reigned eight years, died, and was buried at Winchester.
To him succeeded Edwin the son of Edmund, a man so
immoderately given to the gratification of his passions that
he forcibly married another man's wife; for which, and
other irregularities, his subjects, after four years' reign, set
up his brother Edgar, who was crowned in his stead ; which
so much grieved Edwin, that he soon ended his days. The
summer, that same year, proved so extremely hot, that it A. D. 958.
caused a dreadful plague in the following spring, which
swept away a great number of people ; before which, Gwgan
the son of Gwyriad the son of Roderic died. At this time,
levaf and lago forcibly managed the government of all
Wales, and acted according to their own pleasure, no one
daring to confront or resist them. But notwithstanding all
their power, the sons of Abloic King of Ireland, ventured
to land in Anglesey ; and having burnt Holyhead, wasted
the country of Lhyn. The sons of Edwyn the son of
Colhoyn, also wasted and ravaged all the country to Towyn,
where they were intercepted and slain. About the same 9<H-
time died Meyric the son of Cadfan, Rytherch bishop of
St. David's, and Cadwalhon ap Owen. Not long after, the
country of North Wales was cruelly wasted by the army of 965.
Edgar King of* England ; the occasion of which invasion
was the non-payment of the tribute that the king of
Aberffraw, by the laws of Howel Dha, was obliged to pay
to the King of London. At length a peace was concluded
upon condition that the Prince of North Wales, instead of
money, should pay to the King of England the tribute of
300 wolves yearly,* which animal was then very pernicious
and destructive to England and Wales. This tribute being
duly performed for two years, the third year there were
none to be found in any part of the Island ; so that after-
wards the Prince of North Wales became exempt from
paying any acknowledgment to the King of England.f The
terror apprehended from the English, being by these means 966.

vanished;

* Stowe's Chron. p. 83, printed at London, A. D. 1614.— Fabian's Chron. p. 249.
f William Malmesbury, p. 59; Fabian, p. 240; Stowe's Chron. p. 83; Welsh
Chron. p. 62 (excepting only the number).

48 HISTORY OF WALES.

vanished, there threatened another cloud from Ireland;
for the Irish being animated by their late expedition,
landed again in Anglesey; and having slain Roderic the
A.D. 967. son of Edwal Foel, they destroyed Aberffraw. When
this danger was over, levaf and lago, who had jointly and
amicably, till now, managed the government of Wales from
the death of Howel Dha, began to quarrel and disagree
between themselves; and lago having forcibly laid hands

968. on his brother levaf, consigned him to perpetual imprison-
ment. These animosities between the two brothers gave
occasion and opportunity to Owen prince of South Wales
to aggrandize himself, by taking possession of the country

969. of Gwyr.* And to augment the miseries of the Welsh at
this time, Mactus the son of Harold, with an army of
Danes, landed in the isle of Anglesey, and spoiled Penmon.f
King Edgar was so indulgent to the Danes, that he per-
mitted them to inhabit through all England ; insomuch that
at length they became as numerous and as powerful as the
English themselves; and they gave way to such lewd
courses of debauchery and drunkenness, that very great
mischiefs ensued thereupon. The king, to reform this im-
moderate sottishness, enacted a law, that every one should
drink by measure, and a mark was stamped upon every

970. vessel, to denote how far it should be filled. Harold having
taken Penmon, subjected to himself the whole isle of Angle-
sey, which however he did not keep long, being forced to
quit the same, and to return home ; as did the fleet of king
Alfred, which he had sent to subdue Caerlheon upon Use ;

971. and now being rid of the English and Danes, the Welsh

972. began to raise commotions among themselves. levaf con-
tinued still in prison, and to rescue him, his son Howel
raised a body of forces, and marched against his uncle lago,
who being vanquished in fight, was forced to quit the
country. Howel having obtained the victory, took his
eldest uncle, Meyric, the son of Edwal, prisoner, and having
directed both his eyes to be put out he was placed in prison,
where in a woful condition he soon afterwards died, leaving
two sons, Edwal and lonafal ; the first of which lived to be
Prince of Wales, and to revenge upon the posterity of
Howel, the unnatural barbarity exercised towards his father.
But though Howel delivered his father from his long and
tedious imprisonment,:}: yet he did not think fit to restore
him to his principality ; for whether by age or infirmity he
was incapable, or otherwise, Howel took upon him the sole

government

* Gwyr, in Glamorganshire. — Welsh Chron. p 62. t Ibid.

J Welsh Chron. pp. 62, 65.

HISTORY OF WALES. 49

government of Wales, which he kept and maintained during
his lifetime,, but afterwards it descended to his brethren;
for levaf had issue, besides this Howel, Meyric, levaf, and
Cadvvalhan ; all three men of great repute and esteem.

About this time died Morgan Hen,* in his younger days
called Morgan Mawr, being an hundred years old, having
lived fifty years after the death of his vvife Elen, daughter of
Roderic the Great, by whom he had one son called Owen.
Morgan was a valiant and a victorious prince, and well
beloved of his subjects ; but sometime before his death,
Owen, the son of Prince Howel Dha, laid claim to Ystradwy
and Ewy (called the two Sleeves of Gwent Uwchcoed),
being the right by inheritance of Morgan, and seized upon
them to his own use. The matter, however, through the
mediation of the clergy and nobility, being by both parties
referred to the decision of Edgar King of England, it was
by him adjudged, that the said lands did of right belong to
Morgan, and to the diocese of Lhandaff; and that Owen
ap Howel Dha had wrongfully possessed himself of them.
The charter of the said award was made before the arch-
bishops, bishops, earls, and barons of England and Wales,
as may be seen at Lhandaff, in an old manuscript called
y Owtta Cyfarwydd o Forgannwg. And there is some-
what to the same purport in the old book of Lhandaff; only
the mistake in both is, that they make Howel Dhaf the
intruder into the said lands, who had been dead at least
twenty years before king Edgar began his reign.

HOWEL

* Also called Morgan Mwynvawr, or Morgan the Courteous. He was of the stock
of one of the royal tribes of Wales. He is ranked in the Triades* with Rhun and Arthur
as the three blood-stained warriors of Britain ; and is distinguished with Gwaethvoed and
Elystan under the appellation of the three band-wearing princes, because they wore
bands as insignia of state, instead of crowns, like the primitive Christians.

" The book of Triades, in British Trioedd Ynys Prydain, or " Threes of the Island of Britain," seems
to have been written about the year 650, and some parts of it collected out of the most ancient monu-
ments in the kingdom. The Triades have been always quoted by our British poets from age to age. It
is called by some writers, and by the translator of Camden, " The Book of Triplicities." The Britons,
as well as other nations of old, had a particular veneration for odd numbers, and especially for that of
Three. Their most ancient poetry consists of three-lined stanzas, called JEnglyn Milwr, " The Warrior's
Verse." The most remote history is divided into sections ; being combinations of some three similar
events. All men of note, whether famous or infamous, were classed together by threes -. virtues and vices
were tripled together in the same manner-, and the Druids conveyed their instructions in moral and
natural philosophy to their people in sentences of three parts. .--Royal Tribes.

f Saxon Laws, published by Wilkins, p. 125, from Lord Littleton's Life, Henry IT.
vol. 2, p. 89.— Tt appears, however, that during the reign of Howel Dha, this prince had
dispossessed Morgan Hen, the Lord of Glamorgan, of certain districts in that country,
and that this dispute was tried by Edgar King of England in a full court of prelates and
nobility of England and Wales, vhen the lands in dispute were adjudged to Morgan Hen
and his heirs.— Spelman's Concilia, p. 414.

50 HISTORY OF WALES.

HOWEL AP IEVAF.

A. D. 973. - OWEL, after he had expelled his uncle lago, and
forced him to quit his own dominions, took upon himself
the government of Wales,* in right of his father, who,
though alive, yet by reason of his years, declined it. About
the same time Dwnwalhon, Prince of Stradelwyd, took his
journey for Rome ; and Edwalhon, son of Owen Prince of
South Wales, died. But the English received a greater
blow by the death of King Edgar, who was a prince of
excellent qualities, both warlike and religious, and one that
founded several monasteries and religious houses, and par-
ticularly at Bangor : for lago ap Edwal having fled to King
Edgar, prevailed so far with him, that he brought an army
into North Wales to restore him to his right. Being ad-
vanced as far as Bangor, he was honourably received by
Howel, who, at his request, was contented his uncle lago
should have a share in the government, as he had in his
father levafs time. Then Edgar founded a new church at
Bangor, on the south-side of the Cathedral, which he dedi-
cated to the blessed Virgin Mary ; and confirmed the
ancient liberties of that see, and bestowed lands and gifts
upon it ; after which, with Howel and lago in his company,
he marched towards Chester, where met him, by appoint-
ment, six other kings, viz. Kenneth King of the Scots,
Malcolm King of Cumberland, Macon King of Man, and
Dyfnwal, Sifrethus, and Ithel, three British kings. These
eight princes having done homage and sworn fealty to
him, entered with King Edgar into his barge, and rowed
him, four on each side, from his palace to the church or
monastery of St. John the Baptist, and divine service being
ended, in like state rowed him back again. f To King
Edgar succeeded his son Edward, surnamed the younger ;
who, after four years reign, was treacherously slain through
the treason of his step-mother Elfrida, to make room for
her own son Edelred, upon pretence of whose minority,
being a child of only seven years, she might have the

management

* Welsh Chron. p. 64.
f Selden's Mare Clausum,p. 1315. — BromptoiTs Chron. p. 869. — Matth. Westm.p.287.

A. D. 975.— At this period Dunwallon, Prince of the Strath-Clwyd Britons, who had
settled in North Wales, intimidated by the cruel ravages of the Danes, or influenced by
the pious spirit of the age, retired to Rome, and engaged in a religious life. On his
retreat that small state was re-united to the kingdom of North Wales.— Hamffrey Lhuyd,
p. 32.

HISTORY OF WALES. 51

management of the kingdom in her own hands. Whilst the A.D. 976.
English were in this wavering and unsettled condition,
Eineon, the son of Owen King of South Wales, the second
time entered the country of Gwyr, and, having spoiled and
wasted it, returned home again. This, though it was a very
great affront to Howel Prince of North Wales, yet he
thought it most convenient to leave unnoticed, being then
warmly engaged against the aiders and abettors of his uncle
lago ; and marching against them with a numerous army,
consisting of Welsh and English, pursued them to Lhyn
and Kelynnoc Vawr, the very extremity of Wales ;* where,
after cruelly ravaging the country and miserably harassing
the inhabitants, lago was at last taken prisoner ; but he was
generously received by Howel, who granted him the enjoy-
ment of his portion of the country peaceably for his life.
Howel did not deal so kindly with his uncle Edwal Fychan,
the son of Edwal Foel, who, for some reason not known, 979.
was slain by him. It may be, that being in a manner secure
of his uncle lago, he was apprehensive that Edwal Fychan
would put in a claim to the principality, and therefore he
judged it convenient to remove this obstacle in time, and to
send him to seek for it in another world. For nothing has
been the cause of greater injustice and inhumanity in princes
than a jealousy and apprehension of rivals and pretenders to
their government, to prevent which they often sacrifice
every thing that is just and legal, so that the person offend-
ing be removed out of the way. Though Howel had mur-
dered his uncle Edwal Fychan, he could not remove all
disputes and pretensions as to North Wales: for at that
same time that he was employed in this unnatural trans-
action, Cystenyn Dhu, or Constantino the Black, son to
lago (then prisoner to Howel), having hired an army of
Danes, under the command of Godfryd the son of Harold,
marched against his cousin Howel, and entering North
Wales, destroyed Anglesey and Lhyn ; whereupon Howel,
having drawn his forces together, fell upon them at a place
called Gwyath Hirbarth, where the Danes received a very
great overthrow, and Constantine, the son of lago, was
slain. f Another army of Danes, however, fared better .in
England : having landed at and spoiled Southampton, they
over-ran the countries of Devon and Cornwall, burnt the
town of Bodmin, whereby the cathedral church of St.
Petrokes, with the bishop's palace, were laid in ashes ; by
reason of which disaster the bishop's see was translated to

St.
c 2
* Carnarvonshire. f Welsh Chron. p. 65.

52 HISTORY OF WALES.

St. Germain's, where it continued until the uniting thereof
to Crediton. Within a while after, St. Dunstan, archbishop
of Canterbury, died, a pious and religious man, who fore-
told very great and almost insupportable calamities that the
English should endure by the cruel outrages of the Danes.
A.D. 981. Godfryd, the son of Harold, being highly chagrined at
the complete route he received of Howel in the quarrel of
Constantine, was resolved to recover his credit, and to
revenge himself of the Welsh ; and accordingly he landed
with a powerful army in West Wales, where, after he had
spoiled the land of Dyfed, with the church of St. David's,
he fought the famous battle of Llanwanoc. Harold being
forced upon this to retire and forsake the country, the fol-

982. lowing year Duke Alfred, with a considerable number of
English, came to supply his room and to conquer the
Welsh ; but he obtained as little advantage or honour as
Harold in this expedition ; for after he had laid waste and
destroyed the town of Brecknock, with some part of South
Wales, he was completely vanquished, and his army almost
totally cut off by the troops of Eineon, the son of Owen
Prince of South Wales, and Howel Prince of North Wales,

• who had joined their forces against him.* The Welsh, hav-

983. ing now quite disabled the Danes and the English, began
to adopt their old courses — to make use of their prosperity
and quietness from abroad, for quarrelling and creating
disturbances at home. The inhabitants of Gwentlandf
imagined themselves very strong and powerful, and there-
fore endeavoured to shake off their allegiance to their prince,
and to set up one of their, own making. Owen, Prince of
South Wales, to subdue the rebellious humour of these
seditious and turbulent people, sent his son Eineon to per-
suade them to obedience ; but a distracted multitude, when
broken loose, is not to be worked upon by arguments, which
Eineon fatally experienced, who was so far from persuading
them to their allegiance by fair means, that they set upon
him, and thinking they had him in their possession who was
next to succeed, put him at once to death ; and thus most
ignobly fell this worthy prince, who, in his father's time,
was the only support of his country, being an able and a
valiant commander, and one skilfully experienced in the art
and discipline of war. He had issue two sons, Edwyn and
Tewdwr Mawr, or Theodore the Great, from whose loins
several Princes of South Wales descended.J Howel Prince

of

* Welsh Chron. p. 66.

t Comprehending parts of the present counties of Monmouth and Hereford.
} Welsh Chron. p. 66.

HISTORY OF WALES. 53

of North Wales did not, however, regard this dissension
and rebellion in South Wales, and therefore took oppor-
tunity to strengthen and multiply his army, with which he
marched the next year for England, intending to revenge
the incursions and invasions of the English upon Wales, and
to destroy and waste their country ; but having entered into
England, he was presently encountered, upon which, being
resolved either to return victoriously or to die courageously,
he exerted his prowess, but in the action was slain,* leaving
no issue to succeed him in the principality, though in some
ancient genealogies he is reputed to have had a son called
Conan y Cwn,

CADWALHON AP IEVAF.

JH OWEL, the son of levaf, had for a long time enjoyed
the principality of North Wales, more by main force and
usurpation, than any right of succession he could pretend to
it : for lonafal and Edwal the sons of Meyric, the eldest
son of Edwal Foel, were living, and through their father
had been rejected as being unfit for government, yet that
was no reason to deprive them of their right. Indeed,
Howel could set up no other right or title, than that his
father levaf had been prince of North Wales before him,
and this he thought sufficient to maintain his possession
against the rightful heir, who was unable to oppose or
molest his wrongful usurpation ; but Howel being slain in
this rash expedition against the English, and leaving no
issue, his brother Cadwalhon thought he might rightfully
take upon him the government of North Wales, seeing his
father and his brother had without any molestation enjoyed
the same. However, to make his title secure, he thought
fit to remove all those who might create any dispute con-
cerning his right of succession, and to that end, deemed it
expedient to make away his cousins lonafal and Edwal the
lawful heirs ; the first of whom he put to death accordingly,
but Edwal being aware of his intention, privately made his
escape, and so prevented his wicked design. This unnatural
dealing with his cousins lonafal and Edwal cost Cadwalhon
not only his life, but the loss of his principality, and was
the utter ruin of his father's house ; for he had scarce
enjoyed his government one year, when Meredith the son of A. D. 985.

Owen

* Welsh Chron. p. 66.

54 HISTORY OF WALES.

Owen prince of South Wales entered into North Wales,
slew Cadwalhon and his brother Meyric,* the only remains
of the house of levaf, and, under the pretence of conquest,
possessed himself of the whole country. Here we may
observe and admire the wisdom of Providence, in permitting
wrong and oppression for some time to flourish and wax
great, and afterwards, by secret and hidden methods,
restoring the posterity of the right and lawful heir to the
just and pristine estate of his ancestors : for after the death
of Edwal Foel, Meyric, who by right of birth was legally
to succeed, was not only deprived of his just and rightful
inheritance, but had his eyes most inhumanly put out, and
being condemned to perpetual imprisonment, through grief
at being so barbarously treated, quickly ended his days ;
but though his brothers levaf and lago, and Howel and
Cadwalhon the sons of levaf, successively enjoyed the
principality of North Wales, yet not one died naturally or
escaped the revenge of Meyric's ejection. levaf was impri-
soned by his brother lago, and he, with his son Constantine,
by Howel the son of levaf, and afterwards Howel fell by
the hands of the English, and his brethren Cadwalhon and
Meyric were slain by Meredith ap Owen. On the other
hand, Edwal ap Meyric, who was right heir of North
Wales after the death of his brother lonafal, escaped the
snare intended by Cadwalhon ; and Meredith ap Owen
having for some time left North WTales exposed to its
enemies, because he had enough to do to preserve South
Wales, Edwal was received by the men of North Wales as
their true prince.

MEREDITH AP OWEN.

A.D.CS?. ]VjEREDITH having defeated and slain Cadwalhon and
his brother Meyric, the only seeming pretenders to the
principality of North Wales, took upon himself the rule
and government of it :f but before he was well confirmed in
his dominions, Godfryd the son of Harold a third time
entered into the isle of Anglesey, and having taken Lhyarch
the son of Owen with 2000 men prisoners, most cruelly put
out the eyes of Lhyarch, which struck such a terror into
Prince Meredith, that, with the rest of his army, he forth-
with made his escape and fled to Cardigan. This loss to

the

* Welsh Chron. p 67.

^ Meredith ruled in Fowys in right of his mother. — British Antiq. revived by Vaughan,
of Hengwrt, pp. 5, 14.

HISTORY OF WALES. 55

the Welsh was the same year seconded by another, but of
another sort ; for there happened such a great and unusual
murrain, that the principal part of the cattle of Wales
perished. Nor were the English at this time free from
adversities and troubles, for the Danes landed again in
England with several armies, and at Westport and Witest
gave two English lords, Godan and Britchwould, such a
defeat, that the king was forced to buy his peace, with the
payment of 10,000 pounds, which was termed Dane Gelt.
Within a short time after, King Edelred violated the peace
himself, and prepared a great fleet, thinking to vanquish the
Danes at sea ; but it proved otherwise, all his ships being
either destroyed or taken, together with the Admiral, Alfric
Earl of Mercia. The Danes being animated with this
victory, sailed up the mouth of the Humber, and landing in
Yorkshire, spoiled and destroyed the cities of York and
Lindsey; but in their march through Northumberland,
were routed and put to flight by Godwyn and Fridgist, two
English generals who were sent to oppose them. The same
time Anlaf King of Norway, and Swane of Denmark, with
94 gallies, sailed up the Thames and besieged London,
which the citizens so bravely defended, that the Danes at
length thought it best to raise the siege; but though they
could effect nothing against the city, yet the country was at
their mercy, and therefore leaving their ships, they landed
and wasted with fire and sword all Kent, Essex, Sussex,
Surry, and Hampshire; wherefore King Edelred, instead
of manly opposition in the field, sent ambassadors to treat
about another payment, and so the Danes being satisfied
with a great sum of money and victuals, lay quiet that winter
at Southampton. Upon this composition, Anlaf was invited
by Edelred, and royally entertained, and being dismissed
with very many rich presents, he promised upon oath to
depart the kingdom and never to molest it any more, which
condition he faithfully performed.

Whilst the English and the Danes were thus for a time A. D. 987.
at peace, levaf the son of Edwal, having spent for several
years a retired and a private life, died ;* and was quickly
followed by Owen the son of Howel Dha Prince of South
Wales.f This Owen had three sons, Eineon, who in his
father's time was slain by the rebels of Gwentland,
Lhywarch who had his eyes put out by Godfryd the son of
Harold the Dane, and Prince Meredith, who had already
conquered North Wales, and now upon his father's death
took possession also of South Wales, without any regard to

the

* Welsh Chron. p. 70. f Il"d-

56 HISTORY OF WALES.

the rights of Edwyn and Theodore the sons of Eineon his
elder brother. But upon his advancement to his new princi-
pality, he narrowly escaped no very small troubles ; for the
Danes at Hampton quickly broke the league with king
Edelred, and sailing towards the west greatly annoyed the
coasts of Cornwal and Devonshire, and at last landed in
South Wales. Having destroyed St. David's, Lhanbadarn,
Lhanrhystyd, Lhandydoch, and several other religious
places, the country was so much harassed and weakened
that Prince Meredith was forced to compound with them,
A. D. 988. and to pay a tribute of one penny for every person within
his dominions, which in Welsh was called Glwmaem, or the
tribute of the black army. Ireland also at this time received
no inconsiderable blow from the Danes, who slew Elwmaen
the son of Abloic king of the country, and so ravaged and
laid waste that kingdom, that a great number of the natives
perished by famine.

The year following, Owen the son of Dyfnwal, a man of

989. considerable note and reputation among the Welsh, was
slain, which was the only remarkable event that happened
this year; but in the next year Edwin ap Eineon, who was
right heir to the principality of South Wales, having

990. procured the aid of a great army of English and Danes
entered in great force into Meredith's country, spoiled all
the land of Cardigan, Dyfed, Gwyr, Kydwely, and St.
David's, and received hostages of the chief persons of thoee

991. countries to own him as their rightful prince. To avenge
these outrages upon Edwyn, Meredith destroyed the town
of Radnor, spoiled Glamorgan, and carried away the chief
men thereof prisoners, who on paying their ransom were set
at liberty. Whilst Wales was in this distracted condition,
and scarce any place free from hostility, Meredith and
Edwyn were happily reconciled, and the differences were
composed that had existed between them, so that the
English and Danes who came in with Edwyn, and who
expected to reap an harvest out of these civil disturbances
of the Welsh, were unexpectedly dismissed and sent home.
Soon after this agreement, Cadwalhon, the only son of
Meredith, died, which rendered the composition between
Meredith and Edwyn more firm, by reason that this latter
thought now that he should without any dispute succeed
Meredith in the principality. This, however, did not take
place, for Meredith being very much disturbed in South
Wales, had so much work upon his hands to defend that
country, that he left North Wales exposed to the common
enemy, which the Danes were quickly acquainted with, and

so

HISTORY OF WALES. 57

so landing in Anglesey, they ravaged and laid waste the
whole island. The men of North Wales finding themselves A. D. 992.
thus forsaken by Meredith, and their country in danger of
being over-run by the Danes, if not timely prevented, set
up Edwal the son of Meyric, the indisputable heir of North
Wales, though long kept from it, and owned him for their
prince.* These incessant wars and commotions in South
Wales, occasioned a great famine in the country, of which
. a considerable number of people perished. Meredith, how-
ever, who had once conquered North Wales, and for a long
time had got possession of South Wales, without any right
or title to either, was now obliged to relinquish the one, and
was scarcely able to maintain the other.

EDWAL AP MEYRIC.

JCjDWAL, after a long and tedious expectation, being 993.
now joyfully received by the men of North Wales as their
prince, endeavoured, in the first place, to defend his sub-
jects from the injuries and depredations they received from
the Danes ; and having in a measure effected that, he was
accosted by another enemy ; for Meredith being resolved to
revenge the indignity and disgrace inflicted upon him by the
men of North Wales, in depriving, him of the government
of their country, gathered together all his power, intending
to recover possession of that principality. Having advanced
as far as Lhangwm,f Edwal met him, and in open battle
routed his army; in which action Theodore or Tewdwr
Mawr, Meredith's nephew, was slain,{ leaving two sons,
Rhys and Rytherch, and a daughter named Elen. It is,
however, deemed probable that it was not Tewdwr Mawr,
but his brother Edwyn, that was slain in this battle, which
also seems rather to have been fought at Hengwm in Ar-
dudwy, in Merionethshire, than at Lhangwm, for in Hen-
gwm there are to this day certain monuments of victory to
be seen, as heaps of stones, tomb-stones, and columns,
which they call Carneddi Hengwm. Edwal returning home
triumphantly after this victory, thought he had now secured
himself in his government, and expected to enjoy his
dominions without molestation. He had, however, scarcely
recovered the fatigue of the last engagement, when Swane
the son of Harold, having lately pillaged and wasted the
Isle of Man, landed in North Wales, whom Edwal endea-
vouring
* Welsh Chron. p. 71. f Llangwm, in Denbighshire. J Welsh Chron, p. 72.

58 HISTORY OF WALES.

vouring to oppose, was slain in the encounter, leaving one
son,* called lago. Within a short time the Danes returned
again against St. David's, and destroying all before them
with fire and sword, slew Morgeney, or Urgency, bishop of
that diocese. Prince Meredith being highly concerned at
the mischiefs these barbarous people continually did to his
country, and the more, because he was not able to repel
their insolencies, died of grief and vexation, having issue an
only daughter named Angharad, who was twice married ;
first to Lhewelyn ap Sitsyhlt, and after his death to Confyn
ap Hirdref, or, as others think, to Confyn ap Gwerystan.
She had children by both husbands, which occasioned after-
wards many disturbances and civil commotions in Wales,
the issue of both marriages pretending a right of succession
to the principality of South Wales. f

AEDAN AP BLEGORAD.

Prince of North Wales, being killed in the
battle against Swane, and having no other issue than lago,
who was a minor, and too young to take upon him the
government; and Meredith, Prince of South Wales, dying
without any other issue than a daughter, caused various
quarrels and contentions among the Welsh, several, without
any colour of right, putting in their claim and pretensions to
the government. In North Wales, Conan the son of Howel,
A.D. 1003. and Aedan the son of Blegorad, were the chief aspirers to
that principality; and because they could not agree who
should be the governor, they determined to try the matter in
open field, where Conan had the misfortune to be slain;
and so Aedan was victoriously proclaimed Prince of North
Wales.* Who this Aedan was descended from, or what
colour or pretence he could lay to the principality, is matter
of great doubt, there being none of that name to be met
with in any Welsh records, excepting Blegorad who is
mentioned in the line of Howel Dha, whose estate and
quality were not sufficient to countenance any claim of his
posterity to the principality of Wales. But be that as it
may, Aedan, after his victory over Conan ap Howel, was
owned Prince by the men of North Wales, over whom he
bore rule for the space of twelve years ; though, besides his
conquest of Conan ap Howel, there is nothing recorded of
1015. him, excepting his being slain, together with his four sons,
by Lhewelyn ap Sitsylht.

While

* Welsh Chron. p. 73. t Ibid. p. 73. J Ibid. pp. 74, 83.

HISTORY OF WALES. 59

While the Welsh were in this unsettled condition, the
Scots began to grow powerful in Ireland, and having de-
stroyed the town and country of Develyn, they took Gulfath
and Ubiad, two Irish lords, prisoners, whose eyes they
inhumanly put out. The Danes also, who had lately made
their incursions into South Wales, began now to molest the
English : having landed in the west, they passed through
the counties of Somerset, Dorset, Hants, and Sussex, de-
stroying and burning all before them; and advancing with-
out any opposition as far as the river Medway, they laid
siege to Rochester, which the Kentish men endeavoured to
preserve by assembling themselves together and giving the
Danes battle, but they were vanquished in the undertaking.
King Edelred was then in Cumberland, where the Danes
were more numerously planted, which country he kept quiet
and in subjection. In the mean time another army of Danes
landed in the west, against whom the country people of
Somersetshire assembled themselves, and shewed their
readiness to attack them, but wanting a leader, were easily
put to the rout, and the Danes ruled and commanded the
country at their pleasure. The King being much harassed
by the insolence and continual depredations of the Danes,
thought convenient to strengthen himself by some powerful
affinity, and to that end sent ambassadors to Richard Duke
of Normandy, desiring his daughter Emma in marriage,
and requesting aid to repel the Danish incursions. Here
it is observable, that as the Saxons, being formerly called
over as friends and allies to the well-meaning Britons,
violently and wrongfully possessed themselves of the great-
est part of the island, so now the Normans, being invited
to aid the English against the Danes, took so great a liking
to the country, that they never gave over their design of
obtaining it till they became conquerors of the whole island.
The mischief of calling in the Normans had been foretold to
King Edelred, but he was so far concerned about the present,
calamities caused by the Danes, that he was deaf to all
considerations as to the future ; and therefore, being elated
with hopes of increase of strength by this new alliance, he
sent private letters to all cities and towns throughout his
dominions where the Danes were quartered, requiring them
all upon St. Brice's night to massacre the Danes, which was
accordingly performed with much unanimity and secrecy.
This cruel act was so far from discouraging the Danes, that
they now began to vow the eradication of the English nation,
and to revenge that unmanly massacre of their countrymen ;
to which end they landed in Devonshire, and over-running

the

60 HISTORY OF WALES.

the country with fire and sword, spared nothing that had the
least spark of life in it. The city of Exeter they razed to
the ground, and slew Hugh the Norman, whom the Queen
had recommended to the government of it. To prevent
their further incursions, Almarus Earl of Devon gathered
a great army out of Hampshire and Wiltshire and the
country thereabouts, and marched with a determined reso-
lution to oppose the Danes; but they put Almarus to flight,
and pursued him to Wilton and Salisbury, which being
ransacked and plundered, they carried the pillage thereof
triumphantly to their ships.

A. D. 1004. The next year Swane, a prince of great repute in Den-
mark, landed upon the coast of Norfolk and laid siege to
Norwich, and wasted the country thereabouts. Wolfkettel,
Duke of that country, being too weak to oppose him,
thought it most convenient to make a peace with the Dane ;
which was quickly broken, and then Swane marched pri-
vately to Thetford, and after he had spoiled and ransacked
that place, he returned with his prey to his ships. Wolf-
kettel hearing this, privately drew up his forces, and
marched against the enemy ; but being far inferior in
number, the Danes defeated him, and afterwards sailed to
their own country. Within two years after, the Danes
returned again, bringing with them their usual companions,
fire, sword, and spoliation, and landed at Sandwich ; after
they had burnt and pillaged that place, they sailed to the
Isle of Wight, where they took up their quarters till
Christmas : and then coming forth thence, they over-ran,
by several parties, the countries of Hampshire and Berk-
shire, as far as Reading, Wallingford, and Colsey ; devour-
ing, for want of other plunder, all the provisions they found
in the houses, and destroyed the same with fire and sword
at their departure. In their return they met with the army
of the West Saxons near Essington, but this consisting only
of a raw and inexperienced rabble, was easily broken
through, and the Danes passing triumphantly by the gates
of Winchester, got safe with great booty to the Isle of
Wight. King Edelred all this while lay at his manor-house
in Shropshire, much troubled and concerned at these unin-
terrupted devastations of the Danes; and the nobility of
England, willing rather to save some than lose all they
possessed, bought their peace of the Danes for the sum of
30,000 pounds. During the interval of repose thus obtained,
King Edelred, rousing his drooping spirits, ordained, that
every three hundred hides of land (one hide being as much
as one plough can sufficiently till) through his dominions

should

HISTORY OF WALES. 61

should man and fit out a ship, and every eight hides provide
a corslet and a helmet; besides which the king had no
inconsiderable navy sent him from Normandy. This fleet
when rendezvoused at Sandwich seemed very powerful in
those days, and was the greatest that had ever down to that
period rode upon the British sea. And now, when it was
thought that all things would go well with the English, of a
sudden another cloud appeared ; for one Wilnot, a noble-
man of Sussex, being banished by King Edelred, got to sea
with a small number of ships, and practised piracy along
the coasts of Britain, greatly annoying all merchants and
passengers. Brightrych, brother to the traitorous Edric A.D. 1008.
Earl of Mercia, thinking to advance his reputation by some
signal exploit, promised to bring Wilnot dead or alive before
Edelred : to which end he set forth with a considerable fleet ;
which meeting with a terrible storm, was by the tempest
driven back, and wrecked upon the shores ; so that a great
number of the ships were lost, and the rest burnt by Wilnot
and his followers. Brightrych being dismayed with this
unfortunate beginning, returned ingloriously by the Thames
back to London ; so that this great preparation against the
Danes was dashed to pieces and came to nothing.

The Danes were not ignorant of the misfortune the 1009.
English received by this storm, and without any further
enquiry, landed at Sandwich, and so passed on to Canter-
bury, which they intended to destroy, but were prevented
by the citizens paying 3000 pounds. Passing from thence,
through Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire, they came to Berk-
shire, where King Edelred at length met with them, and
determining resolutely to attack them, was by the cunning
insinuations and subtile arguments of the traitor Edric
dissuaded from fighting. The Danes being thus delivered
from the danger which they certainly expected, passed on
joyfully by the city of London, and with great booty returned
to their ships. The next year they landed again at Ipswich,
upon • Ascension Day, where Wolfkettel met them by a
spirited encounter ; but being overpowered by numbers, he
was forced to fall back and yield the victory to the Danes.
Passing from thence to Cambridge, they met with Ethelstan,
King Edelred's nephew by his sister, who with an army
endeavoured to oppose them ; but the Danes proving too
powerful, he with many other noblemen were slain ; among
whom were Duke Oswyn and the Earls Edwyn and Wol-
frike. From hence the Danes passed through Essex,
leaving no manner of cruelty and barbarity unpractised, and
returned laden with booty to their ships, which lay in the

imes.

62 HISTORY OF WALES

A.D. 1010. Thames. They could not, however, continue long in their
vessels ; and therefore sallying out, they passed by the river
side to Oxford, which they ransacked again; adding to
their prey the plunder of the counties of Buckingham,
Bedford, Hertford, and Northampton, and having accom-
plished that year's cruelties, at Christmas they returned to
their ships. Yet the prey of the country from the Trent
loll. southward did not satisfy these unmerciful barbarians; for
as soon as the season gave them leave to peep out of their
dens they laid siege to the city of Canterbury, which being
delivered up by the treachery of Almarez the Archdeacon,
was condemned to blood and ashes, and Alfege the Arch-
bishop carried prisoner to the Danish fleet, where he was
1012. cruelly put to death. The next year Swane King of Den-
mark came up the Humber and landed at Gainesborow,
whither repaired to him Uthred Earl of Northumberland
with his people, the inhabitants of Lindsey, with all the
countries northward of Watling-street, being a highway
crossing from the east to the west sea, and gave their oath
and hostages to obey him ; on which, King Swane finding
his undertaking fortunate beyond expectation, committed
the care of his fleet to his son Canute, and marched himself
first to Oxford, and then to Winchester; which cities,
probably through fear of further calamities, readily acknow-
ledged him for their king. From thence he marched for
London, where King Edelred then lay, and which was so
ably defended by the citizens, that he was likely to effect
nothing against it ; and therefore he directed his course to
Wallingford and Bath, where the principal men of the West
Saxons yielded him subjection. The Londoners too, at last,
fearing his fury and displeasure, made their peace, and sent
him hostages ; which city being thus received under his
subjection, Swane from that time was accounted King of
all England. King Edelred perceiving all his affairs in
England to go against him, and his authority and govern-
ment reduced to so narrow a compass, and having sent his
queen with his two sons Edward and Alfred to Normandy,
he thought it expedient within a short time to follow himself.
He was honourably received by his brother-in-law Richard ;
and had not been there long before news arrived of the death
of Swane, and that he was desired by the English to return
to his kingdom. Being animated and comforted with this
cheering news, he set forward with a great army to England,
and landing at Lindsey, he cruelly harassed that province,
by reason that it had owned subjection to Canute the son of
Swane, whom the Danes had elected king in his father's

stead.

HISTORY OF WALES. 63

stead. King Canute being at Ipswich, and certified of the
arrival of King Edelred, and the devastation of Lindsey,
and fearing that his authority was going down the wind,
barbarously cut off the hands and noses of all the hostages
he received from the English, and presently set sail for
Denmark. Whilst England was in this general confusion,
there occurred as great a storm in Ireland ; for Brian king
of that island, and his son Murcath, with other kings of the
country subject to Brian, joined their forces against Sutric
the son of Abloic King of Dublin, and Mailmorda King of
Lagenes. Sutric being of himself too weak to encounter so
numerous a multitude, hired all the pirates and rovers who
cruised upon the seas, and then gave Brian battle, who, with
his son Murcath, were slain ; and on the other side, Mail-
morda, and Broderic General of the auxiliaries.

But Canute, though he was in a manner forced to forsake A .D. 1013.
England upon the recalling of King Edelred, did not
abandon all his pretence to the kingdom ; and therefore the
next year he came to renew his claim, and landed with a
powerful force in West-Sex, where he exercised very great
hostility. To prevent his incursions, Edric, and Edmund
(bastard son to Edelred), raised their forces separately; but
when both armies were united, they durst not, either for
fear or because of the dissension of the two generals, fight
with the Danes. Edmund therefore passed to the north,
and joined with Uthred, Duke of Northumberland, and both
together descended and spoiled Stafford, Leicester, and
Shropshire. On the other side, Canute marched forcibly
through Buckingham, Bedford, and Huntingdonshire, and
so (by Stafford) passed toward York, whither Uthred has-
tened, and, finding no other remedy, submitted himself,
with all the Northumbrians, to Canute, giving hostages for
the performance of what they then agreed upon. Notwith-
standing this submission, Uthred was treacherously slain,
not without the permission of Canute, and his dukedom
betowed upon one Egrick, a Dane ; whereupon Edmund
left them, and went to his father, who lay sick at London.
Canute, returning to his ships, presently followed, and
sailed up the Thames towards London ; but before he could
come near the city King Edelred was dead, after a trou-
blesome reign of thirty-seven years. On his decease, the
English nobility chose his base son Edmund (for his eminent
strength and hardiness in war, surnamed Ironside) as their
king. Upon this, Canute brought his whole fleet up the
river to London, and, having cut a deep trench round the
town, invested it on all sides ; but being valorously repulsed

by

64 HISTORY OF WALES.

by the defendants, he detached the best part of his army to
fight with Edmund, who was marching to raise the siege ;
and both armies meeting in battle at Proman by Gillingham,
Canute with his Danes were put to flight ; but as soon as
time and opportunity permitted him to recruit his forces,
Canute gave Edmund a second battle at Caerstane : Edric,
Almar, and Algar, however, covertly siding with the Danes,
Edmund had great difficulty in maintaining the fight obsti-
nately till night and weariness parted them. Both armies
having suffered considerably in this action, Edmund went to
West-Sex to reinforce himself, and the Danes returned to
the siege of London, whither Edmund quickly followed,
raised the siege, forced Canute and his Danes to betake
themselves in confusion to their ships, and then entered
triumphantly into the city. Two days after, passing the
Thames at Brentford, he fell upon the Danes in their retreat,
by which lucky opportunity obtaining a considerable victory,
he returned again to raise recruits among the West Saxons.
Canute, upon Edmund's removal, appeared again before
London, and invested it by land and water, but in vain ; the
besieged so manfully and resolutely defending themselves,
that it was impossible to master the town before Edmund
could come to the relief of it : and this they soon experi-
enced; for Edmund, having augmented his forces, again
crossed the Thames at Brentford, and came to Kent in
pursuit of Canute, who upon giving battle was so signally
defeated at first, and his men put to such rout, that there
wanted nothing of a full and absolute victory but the firm
adherence of the traitor Edric, who perceiving the advan-
tage to incline to Edmund, and the Danes likely to receive
their final blow, cried aloud, " Fled Engle, Fled Engle,
Edmund is dead," and thereupon fled with that part of the
army under his command, leaving the king overpowered
with numbers. By this desertion and treachery the English
were at last overthrown, and a great number slain, among
whom were Duke Edmund, Duke Alfric, Duke Godwyn,
and Wolfkettel, the valiant Duke of the East Angles, together
with all the English cavalry, and a great portion of the
nobility. After this victory Canute marched triumphantly
to London, and was crowned king ; but Edmund, resolving
to try his fortune in another field, mustered together all the
forces he could, and meeting with Canute in Gloucestershire
intended to give him battle : considering, however, what
cruel and unnatural bloodshed had already been caused,
both generals agreed to put an end to their tedious quarrel
by single combat ; and the place being appointed, Edmund

and

HISTORY OF WALES. 65

and Canute attacked each other very vigorously, till at last
Canute perceiving it impracticable to vanquish a man like
Ironsides, laid down his weapon, making an offer to divide
the kingdom fairly betwixt them : Edmund was not dis-
pleased at the proposal, and therefore both parties sub-
mitted to this decision, that Edmund should rule the West-
Saxons and the South ; Canute in Mercia and all the
North ; and so they parted friends, Canute moving to
London, and Edmund to Oxford. But Edric was not
satisfied that Edmund should have any share at all of the
government, and therefore he resolved to conspire against
his life, and to deliver the whole kingdom of England into
the hands of Canute ; of whom he might reasonably expect
for this, and other traitorous services, a very ample and an
answerable return. This he committed to one of his own
sons to put in execution, a scion of the old stock, and one
early versed in wicked and traitorous designs, who, per-
ceiving the king to go to stool, thrust a sharp knife up his
fundament, of which wound he immediately died. Edric
being soon informed of the fact, hastened to London, and
with great joy and loud acclamations came to Canute,
greeting him as sole King of England, and withal, telling
him in what manner, and by whose means, his old enemy,
King Edmund, was assassinated, at Oxford. Canute,
though pleased at the death of Edmund, was a person of
greater honour than to commend so horrible a deed, though
done to an enemy, and therefore told Edric, that he would
without fail take care to reward him as his deserts required,
and would advance him above all the nobility of England,
which was quickly performed, his head being placed upon
the highest tower in London, for a terror to such villainous
traitors to their king. Edric was thus deservedly dis-
appointed of the mighty thoughts he entertained of great-
ness upon the advancement of King Canute : this generous
Dane scorned his baseness, and having paid Edric a traitor's
reward, caused execution to be done upon all his accom-
plices, and upon all those that consented to the base murder
of that brave Prince, King Edmund.

About the same time there happened great disturbance A.D.10W.
and commotion in Wales; Lhewelyn ap Sytsylht having
for some years been still and quiet, began now to bestir
himself, and having drawn all his forces together, marched
against Aedan, who forcibly and without any legal pretence
had entered upon, and for all this time had kept himself in,
the government of North Wales. Aedan would not quietly

surrender

60 HISTORY OF WALES.

surrender what had been so long in his possession, and to
maintain which, he now gave Lhewelyn battle; but the
victory going against him, he and his four sons were slain
upon the spot : on which Lhewelyn, without any regard to
the claim of lago the son of Edwal, the right heir, took
upon himself the title and authority of Prince of all Wales.
His pretension to North Wales was, as being descended
from Trawst, daughter to Elis, second son to Anarawd, who
was the eldest son of Roderic the Great;* and to South
Wales, as having married Angharad, the only daughter of
Meredith Prince of South Wales; by virtue of which pre-
tensions he assumed to himself the government of all Wales.

LHEWELYN AP SITSYLHT.

JLjHEWELYN having, as already stated, taken upon
him the general government of Wales, managed his charge
with such prudence and moderation, that the country in a
short time became very flourishing and prosperous; peace
and tranquillity being established produced plenty and in-
crease of all things necessary to human subsistence: for
there was none that could lay any claim or pretence to
either of the principalities, excepting Ingo the son of Kdwal,
who was indeed lawful heir of North Wales, but either too
weak to withstand or unwilling to disturb Lhewclyn's title,
and therefore lay quiet for a time, expecting a better oppor-
tunity to recover his r'mht. In the mean time Canute
being crowned King of all England, married Emma the
widow of King Edelred ; and for the better securing the
English crown to himself and his heirs, he thought it expe-
dient to dispatch Edmund and Edward Ilie sons of Ironsides
out of the way. Lest, however, such an execrable fact
should seem too black to be done in England, he sent the
two youths to Solomon King of Hungary, request .ing him to
use some convenient opportunity to take siway their lives;
which seemed to Solomon so very unnatural, that instead of
complying with Canute's request, lie educated and brought
them up as his own children. Canute imagined now that
his (ear was over, and his business effectually finished, so
that he could the more boldly demand of his subjects what
either his necessity or curiosity would prompt him to ; and
reflecting with himself what excessive expense he- had been
ut in the conquest of England, was • resolved that the

English

• Brit, Ant. revived by Vanglian of Hongwrt, p. 14.

HISTORY OF WALES. 67

English should repay him, and therefore required a sub-
sidy of seventy-two thousand pounds, besides eleven thou-
sand which the city of London contributed. At this time,
M eyrie the son of Arthtael, a person of quality in Wales,
rebelled, end raised an am -t Prince Lhewelyn, who

as soon as he appeared in the field to quell this mal-content
General, met with him and manfully slew him with his own
hand, and easily discomfited his followers.* About this
time also Canute sailed over to Denmark, and made war
upon the Vandals, who, notwithstanding they had a greater
army in the field, were overcome by the incomparable
valour of Earl Godwyn ; for which famous action Canute
held the English in great esteem ever after.

Lhewelyn Prince of Wales, though he had lately quelled A.
the roMs headed by Meyric, had now to encounter another
difficulty, which seemed to threaten greater disturbance and
trouble to him ; for a certain person of a mean quality in
land coming to South Wales, assumed the name of
Run,f and em out that he was the son of Meredith Prince
of South Wales: to whom joir.ed a great number of the
nobility, who had no great aflection for Lhewelyn, and
proclaimed Rim Prince of South Wales. Lhewelyn being
then in North A\ ales, was informed of this famous impostor,
and assembling an army together, marched to meet him,
who, with the whole strength of South Wales, then lay at
Tsiwili.J where he waited the arrivsl of Lhewelyn.
When both armies were ready to join battle, Run made a
vaunting speech to his soldiers, assuring them of victory,
and so persuading them courageously to fall on, private! y
himself retired out of harm's way ; so that there was on the
one side a valiant army under a cowardly general, and on
the other part a valiant and a noble commander engaging
with a slow and a faint-hearted army : for Lhewelvn,~like a
bold and courageous prince, ventured into the miclst of liis
enemies, whilst Run privately sneaked off out of all danger;
and die men of South Wales were more fierce and eager in
the cause of a pretender than the men of North Wales to
tain the quarrel of a prince of their own blood. After
great slaughter on both sides, the men of North Wales
calling to mind the several victories they had obtained, and
beini in a great degree animated by the incomparable
valour of their prince, fell on so warmly that they put their
enemies to flight, and pursued Run so close, that notwith-
standing his several devices, he was at last overtaken and

slain.
F -2

» Wefch Chron p. SV f ^«W» Chi^o p S&.

HISTORY OF WALES.

slain. Lhewelyn, after this victory, returned laden with
spoil into North Wales,* and for some time lived peaceably
and without disturbance: but the next year, Howel and
Meredith, the sons of Edwyn, conspired against him and
slew him. He left a son called Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn,f
who afterwards, though not immediately, ascended to the
principality of North Wales,

o

1AGOJ AP EDWAL.

. 'N the death of Lhewelyn, lago the son of Edwal, the
true heir to the principality of North Wales, who had
been so long wrongfully kept from it, thought this the best
opportunity to enter upon his right, by reason of the mi-
nority of Gruffydh the son of Lhewelyn; upon which
pretence, likewise, Rytherch the son of lestyn forcibly
assumed the principality of South Wales. About the same
time, Canute King of England sailed over to Denmark and
Sweden, against Ulf and Alaf, who had excited the Fin-
landers against him, whom he subdued, though with the
loss of a great part of his army, as well English as Danes.
Writhin a while after his return to England, he made a very
pompous and magnificent journey to Rome ; more to satisfy
his ambitious temper, and to signify to the world his great-
ness and might, which he expressed by his costly presents
and princely behaviour, than in any way to make atonement
for the oppression and bloodshed by which he had estab-
lished himself in his kingdom : for what holiness and morti-
fication he had learnt at Rome presently appeared upon his
return to England ; when, without any provocation, he
marched with an army into Scotland, and forced Malcolm
the king thereof, together with Molbeath and Jermare, the
kings of the Orkneys and Ewist, to do him homage.
A . D. 1031. The affairs of Wales were at this time very turbulent and
unsettled; for Howel and Meredith, after the murder of
Prince Lhewelyn, expected to enjoy some part of his prin-
cipality themselves, but finding that lago had seized upon
North Wales, and Rytherch upon South Wales, and withal
perceiving their own power too weak to oppose their de-
signs, they invited over the Irish-Scots to their aid against
Rytherch ap lestyn, Prince of South Wales. By the help

of

* Welsh Chron. pp. 85, 86.

Wish Chron. ibid. Ap Einion. ap Owen ap Howel Dh£. The word aj>, which 90
frequently occurs in Welsh names, signifies a son.

I Lineally descended from Roderic the Great, but had been long unjustly excluded.—
Welsh Chron. pp. 87, 8e.— Warringtou, vol. 1, p. 312.

HISTORY OF WALES. 69

of these, Howel and Meredith prevailed over Rytherch,
who being at length slain, they jointly took upon themselves
the rule and government of South Wales. This, however,
was not a sufficient title to establish them so firmly in it
that their usurpation would not be called in question ; for A. D. 1033,
the sons of Rytherch, presently after their father's death,
gathered their forces together to fight with the brothers
Howel and Meredith, who met at Irathwy,* where a cruel
battle was fought, called Gwaith Irathwy; and at last the
sons of Rytherch were put to flight. Though these vic-
tories, the one over Rytherch, and the second over his sons,
seemed in a great measure to favour Howel and Meredith's
pretence to and establishment in the principality; yet the
unpardonable crime of the murder of Lhewelyn, a prince of 1033.
so extraordinary qualities, could not remain long unreveng-
ed ; for the sons of Conan the son of Sitsyiht, Prince
Lhewelyn's brother, were resolved to avenge their uncle's
murder upon the two usurpers, which in a short time they
effected against Meredith, who met with the same end from
the sons of Conan that he had formerly inflicted upon
Lhewelyn. These civil discords in Wales were quickly 1034.
discovered by the English, who, taking advantage of so fair
an opportunity, entered with a great army into the land of
Gwent, where, after they had committed considerable waste
for some time, Caradoc the son of Rytherch ap lestyn gave
them battle, but was in that engagement unhappily slain.
Shortly afterwards died King Canute, the most famous and 1035.
the mightiest prince then in the western parts of the world,
whose dominions extended over all Sweden, from Germany
almost to the North Pole, together with the kingdoms of
Norway and Denmark, and the noble island of Britain. To
him succeeded his son Harold, for his swiftness surnamed
Harefoot, begotten upon Alwyn, the daughter of Duke
Alselyn, though several firmly contended for Hardycanute,
his other son by Ernma, who was then in Denmark. Harold,
however, being advanced to the throne, took care to estab-
lish himself as firmly as he could in it, and to that end
thought it expedient to banish out of his dominions his
mother-in-law Emma, who was endeavouring to promote the
interest of her own son Hardycanute, and to bring him to
the crown of England.

Whilst Harold was by these measures settled in his 1037.
dominions, lago ap Edwal was on the point of losing his
principality of North Wales; for Gruffydh the son of
Lhewelyn ap Sitsyiht, sometime Prince of North Wales,

having

* Welsh Chron. pp. 87, 88.

70 HISTORY OF WALES.

having intimated his intention of rebelling against lago, was
so generously encouraged and universally followed by all
people, for the love they bore to his father, that in a short
time his army amounted to an invincible number. However,
lago was not so thoroughly affrighted as to give up his
principality without drawing a sword for it ; but providing
for himself as well as he could, and drawing together such
forces as he could assemble, he gave Gruffydh battle, when
his number being far too weak to oppose so great an army as
that of Gruffydh, he was presently overpowered and put to
the rout, and himself slain, leaving a son called Conan, by
his wife Afandred, daughter to Gweir the son of Pyhl.*

GRUFFYDH AP LHEWELYN.

J AGO ap Edwal being slain, Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn was
received with loud acclamations, and joyfully greeted as
Prince of North Wales, and treading in his father's steps,
demeaned himself in his government with that prudence and
conduct, that he manfully defended his country against the
frequent invasions of the English and Danes ; for he was
scarcely settled in his dominion when these inveterate ene-
mies of the Welsh entered in an hostile manner into Wales,
and advanced as far as Crosford upon the Severn, where
Gruffydh met them, and forced them to retire with the
utmost speed to their own country. From thence Gruffydh
passed to Llanbadarn Vawr, in Cardiganshire, which he laid
in ashes, and afterwards marched through all the country of
South Wales, receiving of the people an oath of fidelity and
subjection to him. In the mean time, Howel ap Edwyn
Prince of South Wales fled to Edwyn, brother to Leofric
Earl of Chester, and prevailed upon him to come with an
army, consisting of English and Danes, to his aid against
Gruffydh, who, meeting his enemies in the field, easily
overcame them, Edwyn being slain upon the spot, and
Howel forced to 'preserve his life by flight ; after which
victory Gruffydh, having reduced all the country of Wales
A.D. 1039- to subjection, returned again to North Wales.f Howel, as
soon as he could recover himself and recruit his army,
entered again into South Wales, intending the recovery of
that principality, which he was now so well assured of, that
he brought his wife with him to the field, to let her see how

easily

* Welsh Chron. p. 89. f Welsh chron- P- 91-

HISTORY OF WALES. 71

easily he could conquer Gruffydh ;* but too great an assur-
ance of victory seldom proves prosperous, which Howel soon
experienced ; for Gruffydh meeting with him at Pencadair,f
gave him so warm an entertainment that he was forced to a
precipitate flight, which, however, could not so well secure
him, but that he was narrowly pursued, and his wife, who
was to have been entertained with the conquest of Gryffydh,
saw herself, on the contrary, taken prisoner by him, and
forced to comply so far to his humour as to be his concu-
bine.:}:

At this time Harold King of England died, and was
succeeded by his brother Hardycanute, a prince very famous
for hospitality, and a great lover of good cheer, having his
table covered four times a day with great plenty and variety
of dishes, and numerous superfluities for all comers; but he
likewise dying at Lambeth, after two years reign, the
English agreed to send for Alfred the eldest son of Edelred
from Normandy, and to make him king. This message by
no means pleased Earl Godwyn, a man of great sway then
in England, who, knowing Alfred to be a person of greater
spirit than to permit him to rule as he pleased, endeavoured
by every means to dissuade the English from sending for
Alfred. He told them how dangerous it was to permit a
warlike nation to take ro'ot in their country, and how
numerously Alfred would be attended by the Normans, to
whom he h,ad promised the chief places and rule of the
kingdom; ]by which and other like insinuations he so
exasperated the English nobility against the Normans, that
to diminish their number they put every tenth man to death.
This, however, not being sufficient, they acted the same
part over again, and tythed them a second time ; and being
highly enraged against the Normans, they led Alfred, who
had brought them over, from Gilford, where this execution
was committed, to Gillingham, where having put -out his
eyes, they removed him to Ely, and there at length mur-
dered him. Then they sent for Edward out of Normandy,
and made him king, who, according to his promise to Earl
Godwyn, married his daughter Edith, a lady much com-
mended not only for beauty, modesty, and other feminine
qualifications, but also, beyond what was then considered

requisite

* Welsh Chron. p. 91. -\- In Caermarthenshire.

J Welsh Chron. p. 91. — But it does not appear that Gruffydh lo«t any reputation wilh
his subjects; the Welsh, like most other nations at that time, regarding whatever they had
taken in war, even the wives of the vanquished, as the lawful property of the conqueror;
so great is the force of habit upon the human mind, as to counteract the first and (he
noblest principles of nature and religion. — Lord Lyttleton's Hen. II.— Warrington, vol. 1,
p . 316.

72 HISTORY OF WALES.

requisite for a woman, learning. King Edward did not
deal so favourably with her brother Swane, son to Earl
Godwyn, who upon some distaste was banished England,
and thereupon forced to betake himself to Baldwyn Earl of
Flanders, by whom he was very honourably received.
A. D. 1041. These troubles and revolutions in England were succeeded
by others of no less consequence in Wales. For Howel,
chagrined at being kept so wrongfully out of his kingdom,
returned again the third time into South Wales, where he
had not continued long before a great number of strangers
landed in the west of Wales, and advancing farther into the
country, pillaged and destroyed all places they came to.
Howel, though desirous to reserve his army to fight with
Prince Gruffydh, yet could not behold his country so miser-
ably wasted and over-run by strangers ; and thinking more-
over, that by so charitable an action he should win the
universal love of the men of South Wales, he drew up his
forces against them, and overtaking them at Pwll Fynach,
forced them, with much loss, to retire to their ships ; which
action was called in Welsh Gwaith Pwll Fynach. At the
same time Conan, the son of lago ap Edwal, who, for fear
of Prince Gruffydh, was forced to flee to Ireland, with the
forces of Alfred, King of Dublin, whose daughter, named
Ranulph, he had married, landed in North Wales; and
having, by some treacherous stratagem, taken Gruffvdh,
triumphantly carried him prisoner towards his ships. This
unhappy accident being discovered, and publicly known, the
North Wales men rose on a sudden, and so unexpectedly
overtook the Irish, that they easily recovered their Prince,
and drove his enemies with great slaughter to their ships ;
who, without any further consultation, were glad to sail
with Conan for Ireland.* Wales, both North and South,
being now free from all foreign invasion, and Howel, as yet,
too weak to dispute his title with Gruffydh, the next year

1042. passed without any occurrence of moment, excepting the
death of Howel, the son of Owen, Lord of Glamorgan, a

1043. man of great quality and esteem in Wales. Howel, the son
of Edwyn, however, as soon as he could call in his Danes,
to whom he added all the forces he could raise in South
Wales, intended to march against Prince Gruffydh ; but he
being previously aware to what end those levies wrere de-
signed, prepared against the approaching storm; and to
avert the war from his own country, marched courageously
to South Wales, not fearing to face an enemy whom he had
completely vanquished twice already. Both armies having

met,

* Welsh Chron. p. 03.

HISTORY OF WALES. 73

met, Gruffydh easily overcame, and pursued Howel as far
as the spring-head of the river Towy,* where, after a long
and a bloody fight, Howel was at last slain, and his army
so universally routed, that few escaped with their lives.f
Though Howel was now dead, there remained still more
pretenders to the principality of South Wales; so that
Gruffydh had no great prospect of enjoying the same peace-
ably: *for as soon as it was published that HowePs army was
defeated, and himself slain, Rytherch and Rhys, the sons of
Rytherch ap lestyn, put in their claim to South Wales in
right of their father, who had once enjoyed the sovereignty
of that country; and in order to its recovery, they assembled
together a great army, consisting partly of strangers and
partly of such as they could raise in Gwentland and Gla-
morgan, and marched to fight with Gruffydh. The Prince,
according to his usual manner, delayed no time, but ani-
mating and solacing his soldiers with the remembrance of
their former victories and conquests, gave his enemies
battle, which conflict proved so very bloody and protracted,
that nothing could part them beside the darkness of the
night. This battle so tired and exhausted both armies,
that neither was very desirous of another engagement, and
the one being unwilling to renew the contest with the other,
they each agreed to return to their own habitations.^: At
this time Joseph, Bishop of Teilo or Llandaff, died at Rome.
The contending armies being separated, Prince Gruffydh
enjoyed a quiet and unmolested possession of all Wales for
about two years; after which, the gentry of Ystrad Towy
treacherously slew 140 of his best soldiers, which made him
so indignant, that to revenge their death, he destroyed all
Dyfed and Ystrad Towy.

About the same time, Lothen and Hyrling, two Danish
pirates, with a great number of Danes, landed at Sandwich,
and having plundered the town, returned again to their
ships, and sailed for Holland, where they sold the booty
they had taken, and then returned to their own country.
Shortly aftewards Earl Swayn came out of Denmark with
eight ships, and returned to England, and coming to his
father's house at Pevenese, humbly requested of him, and
his brothers Harold and Tostie, to endeavour to obtain his
reconciliation with the King. Earl Beorned also promised
to intercede for him, and going to Swayn's fleet to sail to
Sandwich, where the King then lay, he was by the way most
treacherously and ungratefully murdered, and his body cast
upon the shore, which lay there exposed, till his friends

hearing
* In Caerraarthenshire. f Welsh Chron. p. 92. J Ibid.

74 HISTORY OF WALES.

hearing of the fact, came and carried it to Winchester, and
buried it by the body of King Canute, Beorned's uncle.
Swayn having committed this most detestable murder, put
himself again under the protection of the Earl of Flanders,
not daring to shew his face in England, till his father by
earnest mediation made his peace with the King.

This year Conan, the son of Tago, raised again an army
of his friends in Ireland, and sailed towards Wales, pur-
posing to recover his inheritance in that country ; but when
he was come near the Welsh coast, there suddenly arose
such a violent storm, that his fleet was immediately scattered,
and most of his ships wrecked, which rendered this expe-
dition ineffectual.* About the same time, Robert, Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, impeached Earl Godwyn, and his
sons Swayn and Harold, of treason, and the Queen of
adultery, and upon the account of their non-appearance
when cited before the Peers at Gloucester, the Queen was
divorced, and Godwyn and his sons banished, who with his
son Swayn fled to Flanders, and Harold to Ireland. These
unhappy occurrences, and the many troubles that ensued
thereupon, arose upon this occasion :— Eustace, Earl of
Bologne, being married to Goda, the King's sister, came
over this year to England to pay King Edward a visit, and
on his return to Canterbury, one of his retinue forcibly
demanding a lodging, provoked the master of the house so
far, as by chance or anger to kill him. Eustace, on this
affront, returned to the King, and by the insinuations of the
Archbishop, made a loud complaint against the Kentish
men ; to repress whose insolencies, Earl Godwyn was com-
manded to raise forces, which he refused to do, on account
of the kindness he bore to his countrymen of Kent. The
king summoned a parliament at Glocester, and commanded
Godwyn to appear there; but he, mistrusting either his
own cause, or the malice of his adversaries, gathered a
powerful army out of his own and his son's earldoms, and
marched towards Glocester, giving out that their forces
were to go against the Welsh, who intended to invade the
Marshes. King Edward being satisfied by the Welsh that
they had no such design, commanded Godwyn to dismiss
his army, and to appear himself to answer to the articles
exhibited against him. Godwyn having refused to obey,
the King, by the advice of Earl Leofrick. summoned an
assembly at London, whither a great number of forces
arrived from Mercia, which Godwyn perceiving, and withal
finding himself unable to withstand the king's proceedings,

privately

* Welsh Chron. p. 94.

HISTORY OF WALES. 75

privately retired with his sons out of the kingdom, and fled
into Flanders : whereupon the king issued out an edict,
proclaiming Godwyn and his sons out-laws, and then con-
fiscating their estates, bestowed them upon others of his
nobility. To pursue his displeasure the further, he di-
vorced his Queen Edith, Earl Godwyn's daughter, and
committed her to a cloister, where, in a mean condition, she
spent some part of her life. In the distribution of the for-
feited estates, Adonan obtained the earldoms of Devon and
Dorset, and Algar, the son of Leofrick, that of Harold.
Godwyn, however, could not patiently behold his estate
bestowed upon another ; and, therefore, having hired some
men and ships in Flanders, he sailed to the Isle of Wight,
and having made a sufficient havock there, he landed at
Portland, which he treated after the same manner. About
the same time, Harold having sailed from Ireland, at length
met with his father, and then, with their united navy, they
burnt Preveneseny, Romney, Heath, Folkston, Dover,
and Sandwich, and entering the Thames, they destroyed
Cheppy, and burnt the king's house at Middletown.
Then they sailed up the river towards London, where the
King's army being ready to oppose them, a treaty of peace
was, by the means of Bishop Stigand, agreed upon, which
was so much in Godwyn's favour, that the King received
him again to his confidence, restored him and his sons to
all their estates, recalled the Queen, and banished the
Archbishop, with all the Frenchmen who had been pro-
moters of the unhappy suspicion that the king had enter-
tained of them.

About this time Rhys, brother to Gruffydh Prince of A. D. 1052,
Wales, who by several irruptions upon the borders had
considerably galled and damaged the English, was taken
and put to death at Bulenden, whose head being cut off,
was presented to the King, then at Gloucester.* The king A. D. 1053.
received, however, better news some time after from the
north, for Siward Earl of Northumberland having sent his
son against Macbeth King of Scotland, vanquished the
Scots, though not without the loss of his son, and many
others, both English and Danes. Siward was not cast down
at his son's death ; but enquiring whether he received his
death's wound before or behind, and being assured that it
was before, he replied, " He was very glad of it, for he
could not wish his son to die otherwise." After this victory
King Edward marched in person to Scotland, and having

again

* His head was cut off by command of King Edward the Confessor. — Simon Dunehne,
sub. ann. 1053.— Stowe's Chron. p. 97.— Matth. Westm. p. 323.— Hist. Angl.

76 HISTORY OF WALES.

again overcome Macbeth in battle, he made the whole king-
dom of Scotland tributary to the crown of England. The
next year Earl Godwyn, sitting with the king at table,
suddenly sunk down dead, being choaked, as it is thought,
in swallowing a morsel of bread ; whose earldom the King
bestowed upon his son Harold, and Harold's upon Algar
Earl of Chester.

To this time is referred the origin of the Stewards in
Scotland, which being a remarkable passage, and in a great
measure dependant upon the affairs of the Welsh, is there-
fore here recorded. Macbeth King of Scotland having
caused Bancho, a nobleman of that kingdom, to be in-
humanly murdered, Fleance, Bancho's son, to avoid the
like cruelty to himself, fled to Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn Prince
of Wales, who taking a very great liking to his person, and
commiserating his condition, shewed him all the respect
and kindness possible. But Fleance had not continued
long with Gruffydh when he became enamoured of the
prince's daughter, and havinjg obtained her good-will, with-
out any regard had to her father's kindness towards him,
abused her so far as to get her with child. Gruffydh being
acquainted with the fact, so resented the affront, that he
caused Fleance to be slain, and treated his daughter most
servilely for prostrating her chastity, especially to a stranger.
However, she was in a short time delivered of a son, who
was christened by the name of Walter ; a child who in his
youth promised much, and evinced every probability of his
making a very considerable man, which happened according
to expectation. The first evidence of his future greatness
happened upon a very accidental occasion : being reproached
of bastardism by one of his companions, he took it in such
dudgeon that nothing could satisfy his revenge but the life
of the aggressor. Being on this mischance afraid to await
the award of the law, he thought it expedient to fly to
Scotland, where, falling in company with certain English-
men who were come thither with Queen Margaret, sister to
Edgar Edeling, he behaved himself so discreetly, that he
won the favour and good character of all who knew him,
and his fame daily increasing, he grew at length to that
height of reputation as to be employed in the most urgent
affairs of the commonwealth, and at last was made Lord
Steward of Scotland, from which office his posterity retained
the surname of Steward; — the Kings of Scotland of that
name, with several other families of quality in that kingdom,
being descended from him.*

* Subsequent researches have proved that this passage is founded in error, and that the
Steward* lineally descend from the ancient Shropshire family of Fitr-Alan.

HISTORY OF WALES. 77

But to return to England: Siward, the worthy Earl of
Northumberland, died about this time of the bloody flux ;
a man of a rough demeanor and a mere warlike temper, as
he plainly manifested when at the point of death ; for, be-
wailing as a misfortune that he, who had escaped so many
dangerous engagements, should be laid upon a bed of
sickness, and withal disdaining to die so effeminately, he
caused himself to be completely armed, and, as it were, in
defiance of death, expired in this display of martial bravery.
His son being too young, the king bestowed his earldom
upon Tosty, the son of Earl Godwyn.

Wales had been now a long time quiet, and free of all A. D. 1054.
troubles both from abroad and at home ; but it was- not to
be expected that such a calm should prove durable, but
rather that something or other would create new commo-
tions and disturbances. Accordingly Gruffydh, son to
Rytherch ap lestyn, having recruited and recovered himself
after the last defeat he received from Prince Gruffydh, ven-
tured another trial for the principality of South Wales.*
The Prince, losing no time, speedily marched against him,
and both armies having met, Gruffydh ap Rytherch was
easily vanquished, and finally was slain. But the troubles
of the Welsh did not end with him; for Algar Earl of
Chester being convicted of treason, and thereupon banished
the kingdom, fled to Gruffydh Prince of Wales, requesting
his aid against King Edward ; and Gruffydh reciting the
frequent wrongs he had received at the hands of the Eng-
lish, by their upholding his enemies against him, gladly
embraced the opportunity, and promised him all imaginable
support : and thereupon assembling his forces, he entered
with him into Herefordshire, and advancing into the country 1055.
within two miles of the city of Hereford, they were opposed
by Randulph, Earl of that country, who boldly gave them
battle. The fight continued very dreadful and dubious for
some hours, till at last Gruffydh so encouraged his soldiers
with the remembrance of their former victories over the
English, that they attacked the English with renewed
energy, and easily, discomfited Randulph, and slew the best
part of his army. Afterwards they pursued their chase to
the town, and having made all the waste and havoc they
were able, they laid the town itself in ashes, and so returned
home triumphantly, laden with rich booty and plunder.f

King

* Welsh Chron, p. 98.

f The Welsh in this en^a^ement cut in pieces four or five hundred of the fugitives,
and having entered into Hereford they burnt the Minster, and slew seven of the canons
who rashly attempted to defend it. — Saxon Chron. p. 169. — Roger Hovedon, p. 443, 444.
— Simon Tuaelme, p. 188.— Matth. Westm.p. 324-

78 HISTORY OF WALES.

King Edward receiving notice of this invasion, presently
gathered a great army at Gloucester under the conduct of
Harold, Earl Godwyn's son, who courageously pursuing the
enemy, entered into Wales, and encamped beyond Strad-
clwyd; but Gruflfydh and Algar dreading to oppose him,
retired further into South Wales, of which Harold being
certified, left one part of his army behind (with orders to
fight, if occasion required), and with the other passed to
Hereford, which he fortified with a strong wall round the
town. Gruffydh, perceiving his undaunted industry, after
many messages, concluded a peace with Harold at a place
called Biligelhag, by which articles Algar was pardoned by
the king, and restored to his earldom of Chester.* He did
not, however, continue long in the king's favour ; for about
two years after, upon conviction of treason, he was again
banished the land, so that he was forced to betake himself
to his old friend, Gruffydh Prince of Wales, by whose aid,
and that of a fleet from Norway, in defiance of the king he
was restored to his earldom. King Edward was much
offended with the Prince of Wales for thus harbouring
traitors, and therefore, to be revenged upon him, he dis-
patched Harold again with an army to North Wales, who,
coming to Ruthlan, burnt the Prince's palace there, and his
fleet that lay in the harbour, and then returned to the king
at Gloucester.

This year Edward, the son of Edmund Ironsides, who

was sent for out of Hungary, being designed successor to

the crown, came to England, but in a short time after his

coming died at London, leaving a son named Edgar Edeling,

and a daughter named Margaret, who was afterwards Queen

of the Scots, and mother to Maud, the wife of Henry the

A.D. 1056. First. About two years after, Roderic, son to Harold King

of Denmark, came with a considerable army into Wales,

and being kindly received by Prince GruflTydh, united his

force with the Welsh, and so entered into England, which

they cruelly harassed and laid waste ; but before they could

advance any considerable distance, Roderic was compelled

to sail for Denmark, and Gruffydh returned laden with

spoils into Wales. At this time also Harold, Earl Godwyn's

son, sailing to Flanders, was driven by force of weather to

land at Poytiers, where being taken prisoner, he was brought

before William, the bastard Duke of Normandy, to whom

he declared the reason of his voyage, that it was purposely

to tender him his service in the affairs of England ; and so

taking an oath, first to marry the Duke's daughter, and

after

* Roger Hovedon, pp. 443, 444. —Simon Bur.elmfj'p. 188.— Matth. Wcstm. p. 324.

HISTORY OF WALES. 79

after the death of Edward to secure the kingdom of Eng-
land for him, he was honourably dismissed. Upon his
return to England, by the persuasions of Caradoc the son
of Gruffydh ap Rytherch, he, with his brother Tosty, raised
a great army and entered into South Wales,* which they A. D. 1064.
ravaged to such a degree that the Welsh were glad to
deliver up hostages for the payment of that tribute which
aforetime they used to pay. Gruffydh hearing of the inso-
lencies of the English in South Wales, made every possible
haste and preparation to oppose them, but to no purpose ;f
Harold having already treacherously hired some of Gruf-
fydh's nearest friends to murder him, who watching their
opportunity, executed their wicked design and brought his
head to Harold. £ Gruffydh being dead, Harold (by King
Edward's orders) appointed Meredith, son of Owen ap
Edwyn, Prince of South Wales, and gave the government of
North Wales § to Blethyn and Rywalhon, the sons of
Confyn, brothers by the mother's side to Prince Gruffydh,
and who probably, for the desire of rule, were accessary to
the murder of that noble prince. Thus Gruffydh ap Lhew-
elyn enjoyed the principality of Wales for the space of
thirty-four years. He was a prince of incomparable virtues,
both wise and valiant, beloved of his subjects and formidable
to his enemies, in all his actions behaving himself great and
princely ; and having valiantly defended his country against
all foreign opposition, he was far unworthy of that treacherous
and cruel death which his unkind subjects and unnatural
friends inflicted upon him. He left issue but one daughter,
named Nest, abused first by Fleance son of Bancho, and
afterwards married to Trahaern ap Caradoc Prince of North
Wales.

BLETHYN AND RYWALHON.

A FTER the deplorable mnrder of Prince Gruffydh,
Meredith, the son of Owen ap Edwyn, who, according to
some, was son to Howel Dha, took upon him, as it is said,
the government of South Wales, and Blethyn and Rywalhon
the sons of Confyn, half-brothers to Gruffydh, as descended
from Angharad daughter to Meredith, sometime Prince of

Wales,

* Welsh Chron. p. 101. f *1)id-

J Together with the prow of the ship in which he returned.— Simon Dunelme, p. 191.

§ And Powys. — Welsh Chron. p. 102. — Simon Dunrlme, p. 1P2. — Willtam

Mnlmsbury, p. 94.

80 HISTORY OF WALES.

Wales,* entered upon the principality of North Wales;
Conan, the son of lago ap Edwal, the right heir to that
crown, being then with his father-in-law in Ireland. This
partition of Wales fell much short of the expectation of
Caradoc ap Gruffydh ap Rytherch, who being the chief
promoter of Harold's making an expedition against Gruf-
fydh ap Lhewelyn, had expected to obtain the government
of South Wales, in case of Gruffydh being defeated : but it
happened otherwise ; for Harold being sensible of Caradoc's
subtilty and knavery, and doubting whether (if he was made
Prince of South Wales) he could obtain a certain lordship
nigh Hereford, for which he had a great desire, he made a
composition with Meredith ap Owen for the said lordship,
and created him Prince of South Wales, f and banished
Caradoc out of the country. Harold having obtained the
consent of Meredith ap Owen, built a very magnificent
house at a place called Portascyth, in Monmouthshire,^ and
storing it with a great quantity of provision, splendidly
entertained the King, who honoured him with a visit. It
was by no means pleasing to Tosty to see his younger
brother in greater esteem and favour with the king than
himself; and having concealed his displeasure for a time,
he could not forbear at length from evincing his dissatis-
faction : accordingly, one day at Windsor, while Harold
reached the cup to King Edward, Tosty, ready to burst for
envy that his brother was so much respected beyond himself,
could not refrain from running furiously upon him, and
pulling him by the hair, dragged him to the ground, for
which unmannerly action the king forbade him the court : §
but he with continued rancour and malice rode to Hereford,
where Harold had many servants preparing an entertainment
for the king, and setting upon them with his followers,
lopped off the hands and legs of some, the arms and heads
of others, and threw them into the butts of wine and other
liquors which were put in for the king's drinking, and at his
departure charged the servants to acquaint Harold, " That
" of other fresh meats he might carry with him what he
" pleased, but for sauce he should find plenty provided
" ready for him." || For this barbarous offence the king
pronounced a sentence of perpetual banishment upon Tosty.^I
But Caradoc ap Gruffydh gave a finishing stroke to Harold's
house, and to the king's entertainment at Portascyth ; for
coming thither shortly after Tosty's departure, to be re-
venged

* William Malmsbury, p. 94. f Welsh Chron. p. 102.

t Portaskewith, in Monmouthshire. — Simon Dunelmt-, p. 192.

§ Simon Dunelme, p. 192. || Matth. Westm p. 331.
f Welsh Chron. pp. 104, 105.— Simon Dunelme, p. 192.— Camden's Brit. p. 597.

HISTORY OF WALES. 81

venged upon Harold, he killed all the workmen and labour-
ers, with all the servants he could find, and utterly defacing
the building, carried away all the costly materials which,
at a great expense, had been brought thither to beautify and
adorn the structure.* Soon after this, the Northumbrians
(who could not endure the insolencies of the two brothers
Harold and Tosty, who, bearing an uncontroulable sway in
the kingdom, were accustomed to practise the most hellish
villainies to obtain any man's estate that displeased them,)
in a tumult at York beset the palace of Tosty, and having
pillaged his treasure, slew all his family, as well Englishmen
as Danes. Then joining to themselves the people of Lincoln,
Nottingham, and Derbyshire, they elected Marcher the son
of Earl Algar their general, to whom came his brother
Edwyn with a considerable number of troops, and a great
party of Welshmen. Then they marched in a hostile manner
to Northampton, where Harold met them, being sent by the
king to know their demands ; to whom they laid open their
grievances, and the cruelty of Tosty's government, and, at
last, with an absolute refusal of admitting him again, desired
that Marcher should be appointed Earl over them, which
the King, upon the reasonable complaints of injuries done
by Tosty, easily granted, and willingly confirmed Marcher's
title : whereupon they peaceably returned back to the north,
and the Welsh, with several prisoners and other booties got
in this expedition, returned to Wales.

The year following, King Edward died, and was buried A. D. 1066.
at Westminster, being the last king of the Saxon blood be- lst Of
fore the conquest that governed the kingdom of England, William the
which from Cerdic King of the West Saxons had continued
544, and from Egbert the first monarch, 171 years. Edward
being dead; the next difference was about the election of a
successor, Edgar Edeling being set up by some as lawful
heir to the crown, which Harold, as being a person of
greater power and authority in the kingdom, much wealthier
and more befriended, presently thwarted, and brought mat-
ters so cunningly about, that himself was chosen king, with-
out any regard observed to the oath and promise he had
formerly made to William Duke of Normandy. Duke
William upon notice of Harold's advancement, and that he
had accepted of the crown of England contrary to the articles
between them, convened together his nobles, and laid before
them the several wrongs and affronts he had received at the
han<7s of Harold, as the death of his cousin Alfred, the

banishment
G
* Matthew Westm.— Welsh Chron. &c.

82 HISTORY OF WALES.

banishment of Archbishop Robert, Earl Odan, and all the
Normans, and, lastly, the breach of his oath and promise.
Then he declared to them the pretence he had to claim the
crown of England, that Edward had given him formerly an
absolute promise in Normandy, that if ever he enjoyed the
English crown, William should be his heir; which title,
though in itself weak and insignificant, served William's
purpose well enough to make an expedition against an in-
truder. Duke William's pretence seemed plausible enough
to the Norman nobility, but the difficulty of the undertaking
and the danger of this expedition was somewhat perplexing,
and made them less inclinable to encourage so precipitous
an undertaking; which they the more disliked upon the
persuasion of William Fitzosbert the Duke's sewer, whom
they pitched upon to deliver their thoughts as to the expedi-
tion unto the duke ; but he, instead of dissuading him from
this voyage, politicly declared that himself with all his
powrer were ready to live and die with him in this expedition,
which the rest hearing could not but offer the duke their
service in the same manner ; and so all things were prepared
for an invasion of England. In the mean while Tosty, full
of indignation at his brother's advancement to the crown,
entered the river H umber with forty sail, but meeting with
Earl Edwyn, who came to oppose him, he was forced after
a considerable encounter to bear off, and secure himself by
flight ; but meeting with Harold King of Norway upon the
coast of Scotland, coming for England with three hundred
sail, he joined his forces with Harold, and so both together
entering the Humber, they landed their army and marched
to York, where the Earls Edwyn and Marcher unsuccess-
fully gave them battle. Having pillaged and destroyed that
city, they passed on to Stamford-bridge, and there met with
King Harold, who with a well disciplined army was come
to stop their farther career. After a long and terrible
fight, and much bloodshed on both sides, the Norwegians
began at last to give way, which the English perceiving,
fell on so manfully that few or none escaped with their lives,
Harold and Tosty being also slain upon the spot. One of
the Norwegians is deservedly recorded for his incomparable
exploits performed in this battle, who with incredible
valour, maintaining the bridge against the whole strength
of the English army for above an hour, by his single resist-
ance delayed their victory, and having slain a great number
of his enemies, he seemed invincible, till in the end, no one
daring to grapple with him fairly, he was run through with
a spear from under the bridge, and so by his fall a passage

was

HISTORY OF WALES. 83

was opened for pursuit to complete the victory. King
Harold overjoyed with this success, triumphantly entered
into York, and whilst he was making merry with his nobles
at a sumptuous feast, news came that Duke William of
Normandy was safely landed at, and began to fortify himself
in, Hastings, with which tidings being no way dashed, as
fearing nothing after his late victory, he forthwith marched
towards him, and as soon as he was arrived in Sussex, with-
out any consideration of the fatigue his army had undergone
in their march, gave William battle. The Duke, dividing
his army into five battalions, made a long harangue to his
soldiers, wherein he repeated and commended the noble acts
of their ancestors the Danes and Norwegians, who had per-
petually vanquished the English and French, and other
nations, as many as they had to do with ,• and that them-
selves, being well horsed and armed, were now to engage
with a people void of both, who had no other defence to
trust to, than the nimbleness and swiftness of their heels.
Both armies being joined upon the 14th day of October,
Duke William, after some hours engaging, ordered his army
so to retire, as if they seemed to fly, which the English
perceiving, broke their ranks in haste of pursuing the sup-
posed fugitive, which falling out according to the Duke's
expectation, he sent in a fresh supply of Normans, who,
falling upon the confused battalions of the English, easily
overcame them, and Harold receiving first a wound by an
arrow was at length slain, and then both the field and the
victory were left to the Normans. The day being thus won,
William, from this time called the Conqueror, went straight
to London, where he was received with all possible formality,
and upon Christmas-day solemnly crowned King of England.
This change and alteration in England was previously prog-
nosticated by a comet which appeared in the spring of this
year, upon which a certain poet made the following verses :

Anno milleno sexageno quoque seno,
Anglorum metce flammas censer e cometce.

King William having established himself on the throne A. D. 1066.
of England, passed over the next year to Normandy, so to
settle affairs there, as afterwards they might have no need
of his presence. In the mean while Edgar Edeling, taking
advantage of his absence, returned from Scotland to York,
being declared king by the inhabitants of the country, who
had already slain Robert, upon whom William had bestowed
that earldom, with nine hundred of his men. But the king
upon his return to Normandy presently marched to the

north,
G 2

84 HISTORY OF WALES.

north, and having sufficiently revenged himself upon the
inhabitants, by wasting and destroying their country, chased
Edgar to Scotland again. The like advantage Edric Syl-
vaticus, the son of Alfric Earl of Mercia, embraced, who
refusing to hold any submission to the conqueror, took the
opportunity of his departure to Normandy to fall foul upon
such as were appointed vicegerents and governors of the
kingdom in his absence: whereupon Richard Fitzserope,
governor of the castle of Hereford, with the forces under
his command, so much harassed him, by wasting and con-
suming his lands and carrying off the goods of his tenants,
that he was compelled to desire aid of Blethyn and Ry walhon
Princes of Wales, by whose help, to recompense the loss he
had received, he passed into Hereford, and after that he
had over-run and pillaged the country to Wyebridge,* re-
turned back with exceeding great booty. But no sooner
were Blethyn arid Ry walhon arrived in North Wales, but
they received news of a rebellion raised against them by
Meredith and Ithel, the sons of GrufFydh ap Lhewelyn,
who had drawn together a considerable number of men,,
upon pretence of recovering the principality of North
Wales, which they said was fraudulently detained from
them. Blethyn and Rywalhon did not delay going in quest
of their enemies, and meeting with them at a place called
Mechain,f without any farther ceremony, set upon the
rebels, who behaved themselves so gallantly, that after a
fight of several hours they wanted nothing but numbers to
complete the victory. There fell in this, battle on the one
side Prince Rywalhon, and on the other Ithel, who being
A. D. 1068. slain, Meredith was forced to give way and endeavour to
save himself by flight, which could not secure him, he being
so narrowly pursued by Blethyn, that, in fine, he was glad
to escape to the mountains, where, for want of victuals and
other necessaries, he soon perished, leaving Blethyn ap
Confyn sole Prince of North Wrales and Powis.J During
these Welsh disturbances, Swane King of Denmark, and
Osburn his brother, with three hundred sail, came up the
Humber, and being joined by Edgar Edeling and Earl
Waltelfe marched to York, and taking the castle disposed
of their forces to winter quarters, betwixt the rivers Ouse
and Trent. The king understanding the matter, posted to
the north ; whose coming so dashed the confederates, that
they quickly dispersed their power, and the Danes escaped
to their ships, and the king having taken vengeance upon

the

* Simon Dunelme, p. 197. — Welsh Chron. p. 109.
f In the present County of Montgomery. J Welsh Chron. p. 109.

HISTORY OF WALES. 85

the rebellious inhabitants of the country, and, upon his
submission, having pardoned Earl Waltelfe, returned back
to London.

BLETHYN AP CONFYN.

ABOUT the same time Caradoc, son to Gruffydh ap
Rhytherch ap lestyn, all this while being much dissatis-
fied that he could not attain to the principality of South
Wales, invited over a great number of Normans, to whom
he joined all the forces he could raise out of Gwentland,
and other parts of Wales. Then attacking Prince Meredith, A. D. 1070.
who was far too weak to encounter so considerable an army,
gave him an easy overthrow near the river Rymhy,* where
Meredith was slain, and so Caradoc obtained the govern-
ment of South Wales, which for a long time he had en-
deavoured sinistrously to encompass. He had sometime
before procured Harold to make an invasion upon Gruffydh
ap Lhewelyn, purposely that himself might arrive at the
principality of South Wales ; and failing then of his expecta-
tion, he now invited over the Normans, not being willing to
trust the English any more, by reason that he had so un-
gratefully been prevented by Harold ; so that it seems he
cared not by what course, or by whose means he should
gain his point ; though it were by the ruin and destruction
of his country, which hitherto he had earnestly promoted.
Being at length advanced to his long expected government
of South Wales (which, though not recorded, seems yet
very probable, by reason that his son Rhytherch ap Caradoc
enjoyed the same very soon after), he did not enjoy this
honour long, but dying in a short time after his advance-
ment, left to succeed him his son Rytherch ap Caradoc.
At the same time that Caradoc carried on this rebellion in
Wales, the Earls Edwyn, Marcher, and Hereward revolted
from the King of England; but Edwyn suspecting the
success of their affairs, and determining to retire to Malcolm
King of Scotland, in his journey thither was betrayed, and
slain by his own followers. Then Marcher and Hereward
betook themselves to the Isle of Ely, which, though suffi-
ciently fortified, was so warmly besieged by the King, that
Marcher and his accomplices were in a short time forced to
surrender themselves up prisoners ; only Hereward made
his escape to Scotland : but the king followed him closely ;

and
* Prympyn, a river in that country.

86 HISTORY OK WALKS.

and after he had received homage of Malcolm King of
Scotland, returned hack to Kngland ; tuul after a short stax
here, passed over to Normandy, \\IUMV he rcceixed Kdii;ar
Kdehnij, a^am lo mercy.

A.D. 1071. The next sear the Normans, having already tasted of the
sweetness of \xasting and plundering a country, came oxer
again to \N 'ales ; and basing spoiled and destroyed Dxfed
and the country of Cardigan, returned honuMvith xerx great
spoil ; and the following year sailed over again for more
booty. About the same time, Neythyd, Bishop of St.
I )a\ id's, died, and was sneeeeded hx one Snlien. This \\as
not all the misfortune that hefel the Welsh ; for Kadnlph
Marl of the Kast Angles, together with l\oger Karl of Here-
lord and lOarl \\'altelpe, entered into a eonspiraex against
King \\illiam, appointing the da\ of marriage between
Kadnlph and Roger's sister, \\hieh \\as to he solemni/ed in
KSM>\, to tn'at of ami conclude their design.* Radulph's
mother was come out of Wales, and, upon that account, he
"united oxer sexeral of her friends and relations to the red-
ding ; meaning chietlN , under the colour of seeming alleetion,
by their help and procurement to bring over the princes and
people of Wales, to favour anil assist his undertaking ;f
but King William heim; acquainted with the whole plot,
quickly ruined all their intrigues; and unexpectedly coming
from Normandy, surprised the conspirators ; excepting
Radulph, \\ho either doubted of the success of their affairs,
or else had intimation gi\ en him of the king's landing, and
prexiousK took shipping at Norwich, and fled to Denmark.
\\altelpeand Roi^er \\ere exei'uteil. and all the other ad-
herents punished ;J more particnlarl) the Welsh, some of
whom were hanged, others hail their ex. es put out, and the
A.D. 107:1. rest \xere l>anislu*d. Soon aHer, Blethxn ap ('onlxn Prince
7th of of \\ ales \\as basely and treacherously murdered bx Rhxs
AVilliaiiitlir ;ip ()\xen ap Kd\\\n and the gentlemen of N strail TXNXX,^
Conqueror. nfior ju. |i;ui n.Jo,u»d thirteen years: a prince of singular
qualifications and virtues, and a mvat observer of justice
and eijuitx towards his .subjects; he xxas xery liberal and
munificent, being indeed xerx able, haxing a prodigious and
almost incredible estate, as appears by these verses made
upon it;

Blethyn ap Confyn
]Si fum bioedh fien

bob Ctrys

liiuris.

He

• Malth. P*ri«, p. 7 j Wttt*1 edition. f Wchh Chron. p. 111. J Ib

^ Welsh Annals, lll,-~0wca up Edwyn was the youngest son of Howel Dh&.

HISTORY OF WALES. 8t

lie had tour wive*. In whom he li;ul issue as follows, vr/. :
Meredith In liner daughter of (Minn, his first wile;
1. In \vnrch ami ( 1ndos*an by the second ; Madoc atul Kir\d
by the third ; and lorwerth b\ his last.*

TRAHAERN AP CARADOC.

Jt>LETHYN being, as is said, traitorously murdered, A. D. 1073.
i here was no regard had to his issue, ns to their right of

.succession; but Trahacrn ap (\iradoc his cousin ^orman,
biMiii; a person of mval pov>cr and swny iu the country, \vas
unnnimousK elected IViiuv of North NYalcs, and Rhys ap
O\\en \vitli Rythereh ap Caradoc jointlx p>vemeil J^outu
NN 'aK's. Trahaorn, indeed, had sonu* predMire to that
principality, as having married Nest, the only surviving
issue of that i^ivat priuco (initlxdli ap Lhewelyu: \\hosi*
two si>us MiMvdith and itlu'l were lalelx slain in their
attempt against Hleth\n and Ixywalhon ; but his title did
not secure him in Ins n;o\ eminent so nnieh as Ins possession,
siiu'e there was one still living, though not much regarded,
who, \\ithout am dispute, uas true heir and proprietor of
the prineipalit\ ol' North ^'alcs. This was (iruflydh son
ti> (\Mian. son to laj^o ap I'Mwal, who being informed ol'lhe
death of Hlethyn aj> Contyn, and the advancement of Tra-
haeru, though! this a proper time to endeavour the IVCOMM-N
of what was (ml) his right, and out of which he had been all
this time most wrongfully excluded. ^ hcrclore, having
obtained help in Ireland, where he privately sojourned
during the reign of Blethyn ap Confyn, from Encumolhon

King

* Hw first wife, Hacr, wa* a widow, very beautiful : she was the daughter nud heiress
o!"i;ill>M, tlu-sonof Klaiilii Uhudd, ortho bloody wolf of (u^st, in Klionydtl. Hy t'ynfyn

llinlrct', licr l\\^\ Inisb.unl, «.lic » ;»s m.\\uliuoll)cr to Uiriil, «l»ot»>olv tlic Appellation of
Illaidd, or tho \\o\\\ as dcsivudrd fn'«n Ulaidd Ithudd Jihovi- incntioiifd. The famous
llowrl > ptMlol.ut was tb«- sou ol' (;«rnllian. d.ui^litiM- to Uin.l 1'l.ii.UI. 'I'lu-ri- is a \Vrlsli
poem t-\(.int of I'uiddrUv IM \.l\ihl m.»« r, thr i;u\U b.inl, « l»o tlonrishcil aboul the > ear
11(50, on ivturnin-;- thanUs to Kiml lor a Tun- sword with whieh lie had presented him.—
> orke's lio\ al Tubi-.s p. 1'28. The following is a translation of ft portion of this poem:

" 1 luv<< ,i (ViiMiilly w»H'. lli.it si.\iuls l»y inc. to rinvh
'l'h<- ui.Millini; (.',•." It iMiot tlu- Ion-si »»U. si-.UIorinjr
Tlu- l)i»i-ml<-vx il>.,k. luil tin- \volT of tlu> li.-ltl of buttle i
Though at otln-r times he is uulil .uul liberal."

Mr. Vaughan, of Hcngwrt, informs us " Hint CriilTtuKl ab Cynan, Rhys ah Tewdwr, and

l'vleildyn\\b (\tnfyn, nude diligent seareb after the arms, ensigns, and pedigrees of their
aneestors, (he noi.ility, nud kings of (he Prit-Mis. \M>at the> diseov.-red by their psiins
in any pap»-r-. an<l reeoriU, was aflerw ;mi?. l'\ tlie l>.u Is digested, and put into books, and
they ordained five royal tribes, there being only three before, from whom their posterity
to this day can derive themselves; ami aUo fifteen special tribes, of whom the gentry of

North Wales are for the most part descended."

88 HISTORY OF WALES.

King of Ultonia, and from Ranalht and Mathawn, two other
kings of that country, he sailed for Wales, and landed in
the Isle of Anglesey, which he easily reduced and brought
to subjection.* At the same time Cynwric ap Rywalhon, a
nobleman of Maelor or Bromfield, was slain in North Wales,
but how, or upon what account, is not known. Whilst
Gruflfydh ap Conan endeavoured to dispossess Trahaern of
North Wales, Gronow and Lhewelyn, the sons of Cadwgan
ap Blethyn, having united their forces with Caradoc ap
Gruffydh ap Rytherch, intended to revenge the murder of
their grandfather Blethyn ap Confyn, upon Rhys ap Owenf
and Rytherch ap Caradoc, the joint rulers of South Wales ;
and marching confidently to find them, both armies met
together and fought at a place called Camdhwr;+ where
after a severe engagement the sons of Cadwgan at length
obtained a complete victory. In North Wales, at the same
time, Gruffydh ap Conan having established his possession
of the Isle of Anglesey, intended to proceed farther in the
main land of Wales ; to which end, having transported his
forces over the strait, lie encamped in the neighbouring
country of Carnarvonshire, purposing tq reduce North
Wales by degrees. Trahaern ap Caradoc being informed
of this descent of Gruffydh's, made all possible speed to
prevent his farther progress ; and having made all necessary
preparations that the shortness of the opportunity would per-
mit, he drew up his forces to Bron yr Erw, § where he gave
Gruffydh battle, and in fine forced him to a shameful flight;
so that he was glad to retire back safely to Anglesey. ||
A. D. 1074. The next year Rytherch ap Caradoc Prince of South
Wales died, being murdered through the unnatural villainy
of his cousin-german Meyrchaon ap Rhys ap Rytherch ;
after whom Rhys*ap Owen obtained the sole government of
South Wales : but his enjoyment of the whole of that
principality was not very lasting, and scarcely at all void of
1075. the trouble and vexation of war. For shortly after the death
of Caradoc, the sons of Cadwgan, thinking they might now
easily foil and vanquish one, seeing they had some time ago
victoriously overcome both princes together, with all the
forces they could raise, set upon Rhys at a place called
Gwanyffyd, who not being able to combat their numbers,
was routed and forced to flee ; however the blow was not so
mortal but that Rhys gathered together new levies, by the

help

* Welsh Chron. p. 112.— It may be proper here to remark, that though the lineal
succession was frequently interrupted, yet the Welsh always paid a regard to the same
royal blood, except in the instance of ^Edan ap Blegored.

f Of the Royal House of South Wales. J Camddwr, in Cardiganshire.

§ Near to the Castle of Harlech, in Merionydh. || Welsh Chron. p. 11 §,

HISTORY OF WALES. 89

help of which he was emboldened still to maintain himself
in his principality.* Fortune, however, which had ad-
vanced him to the crown, seemed now to frown at and cross
all his endeavours and undertakings, and being reduced to
a very weak condition in the last battle, he was attacked by
a fresh enemy before he could have sufficient time to recover
and recruit himself. For Trahaern ap Caradoc, Prince of
North Wales, perceiving the weakness and inability of Rhys
to make opposition against any foreign enemy that invaded
his territories, thought it now very feasible to obtain the
conquest of South Wales, and then to annex it to his own
principality of North Wales ; and, being induced by these
imaginations, he dispatched his army to South Wales to
fight with Rhys, who, with all the forces he could possibly
levy, as laying his whole fortune upon the event of this
battle, boldly met him at Pwlhgwttic, where, after a tedious
fight on both sides, Rhys having lost the best part of his
army, was put to flight, and so warmly pursued, that after
long shifting from place to place, himself with his brother
Howel fell at length into the hands of Caradoc ap Gruffydh,
who put them both to death, in revenge of the base murder
of Blethyn ap Confyn, by them previously committed.!
The principality of South Wales being thus vacant by the
death of Rhys ap Owen ; Rhys son to Theodore ap Eirieon
ap Owen ap Howel Dha4 as lawful heir to that government,
put in his claim, which being very plain and evident, so pre-
vailed with the people of that country, that they unanimously
elected him for their prince,^ much against the expectation
of Trahaern ap Caradoc, Prince of North Wales. The
next year St. David's suffered greatly by strangers, who
landing there in a considerable number, spoiled and A. D. 1077.
destroyed the whole town, shortly after which barbarous
action Abraham, bishop of that see, died ; and then Sulien,
who the year before had relinquished and resigned that
bishoprick, was compelled to resume it.

The government of all Wales, both North and South, had 1079.
been now for a long time supplied by usurpers, and forcibly
detained from the right and legal inheritors ; but Provi-
dence would not suffer injustice to reign any longer, and

therefore

* Welsh Chron. p. 113.— Vita Griff. Conani : a Manuscript Life of that Prince, written
in the Welsh language, as is supposed, near the time in which he lived.

f Welsh Chron. p. 113. — Bleddyn— Strength of the army.

J Ab Cadel ab Rhodri Mawr ab Mervyn Vrych ab Gwriad ab Elidyr ab Sandde ab
Alser ab Tegid ab Gwyar ab Dwywg ab Llywarch Hen ab Elidyr Llydanwyn ab
Meirchion Gul ab Grwst Ledlwm ab Coneu ab Coel Godebog. Rhys ab Tcwdwr was
Jhe founder of our second Royal Tribe.

§ Welsh Chron. p, 114.

90 HISTORY OF WALES.

therefore restored the rightful heirs to the principalities.
Rhys ap Theodore had actual possession of South Wales,*
and there wanted no more at this time but to bring in
Gruffydh ap Conan to the principality of North Wales ;
both these princes being indisputably right and lawful heirs
to their respective governments, as lineally descended from
Roderic the Great, who was legal proprietor of all Wales.
Gruffydh ap Conan had already reduced the isle of
Anglesey, but not being able to levy a sufficient army from
thence to oppose Trahaern, he invited over a great party of
Irish and Scots, and then with his whole army joined with
Rhys ap Theodore, Prince of South Wales. Trahaern in
like manner associating to himself Caradoc ap Gruffydh and
Mailyr the son of Rywalhon ap Gwyn his cousins-german,
the greatest and most powerful men then in Wales, drew up
his forces together with resolution to fight them. Both
armies meeting upon the mountains of Carno,f which
proved the more fierce and bloody, by reason that both
parties resolutely referred their whole fortune to the success
of their arms, and life would prove vain if the day was lost.
But after a bloody fight on both sides, the victory fell at last
to Gruffydh and Rhys, Trahaern with his cousins being all
slain in the field,:}: after whose death Gruffydh took posses-
sion of North Wales ; and so the rule of all Wales, after a
tedious interval, was again restored to the right line.
About the same time Urgency ap Sitsylht, a person of noble
quality in Wales, was treacherously murdered by the sons of
Rhys Sais, or the Englishman ; by which name the Welsh
were accustomed to denominate all persons who either had
lived any considerable time in England, or could fluently
and handsomely speak the English tongue.

GRUFFYDH

* According to Mr. Vaughan, of Hengwrt, the immediate territories of this prince were
the counties of Cardigan and Caermarthen ; as Pembroke, Brecknock, Gwent or Mon-
mouthshire, and Glewising or Herefordshire, were governed by their several reguli :
though there is no doubt but all these acknowledged the sovereign authority of South
Wales.— British Ant. Revived, pp. 7, 8.— Welsh Chron. p. 114.

•f In South Wales, called Mynydd Cam, on account of a large Carnedd upon it,
covering the remains of a great warrior, who had, in ancient times, been slain and buried
there.

I Vita fil Griff. Conani.— Welsh Chron. p. 114.

HISTORY OF WALES. 91

GRUFFYDH AP CONAN.

(jrRUFFYDH ap Conan being established in the princi-
pality of North Wales, and Rhys ap Theodore in that of
South Wales ; there was no one that could create them
any molestation or disturbance upon the account of their
right, which was unquestionably just ; so that they quietly
enjoyed for some time their respective dominions, without
apprehension of any pretender : indeed, it had seldom been
known before, but that one of the princes was an usurper ;
and particularly in North Wales, where, from the time of
Edwal Foel, none had legally ascended to the crown, ex-
cepting Edwal the son of Meyric, eldest son to Edwal Foel,
in whose line the undoubted title of North Wales lawfully
descended: and the right line being now restored in
Gruffydh ap Conan, the same legally continued to Lhewelyn
ap Gruffydh, the last prince of the British blood. During
these revolutions in Wales, some things memorable were
transacted in England; Malcolm King of the Scots de-
scending into Northumberland, ravaged and destroyed the
country without mercy, carrying away a great number of
prisoners ; after which the Northumbrians fell upon Walter
Bishop of Durham, whom they slew, together with a
hundred men, whilst he sate keeping his court, not anti-
cipating any such treacherous villainy. At the same time
Robert Curthoys, the Bastard's eldest son, being for some
reason disgusted against his father, and instigated by the
King of France, entered Normandy with an army and
claimed it as his right, which King William being ac-
quainted with, passed over to Normandy, and meeting with
his son hand to hand in battle, was by him overthrown.
Returning from Normandy he entered with a great army
into Wales, and marching after the manner of a pilgrimage
as far as St. David's, he offered and paid his devotion to A. D. 1079.
that saint,* and afterwards received homage of the kings and 13th of
princes of the country. About the same time the tomb of William the
Walwey, King Arthur's sister's son, a most valiant person Con<luerort
in his time, and governor of that country, from him called
Walwethey, was discovered in the country of Rhos, nigh
the sea-shore, whose skeleton proved monstrously pro-
digious, being in length about fourteen feet.

This year Madawc, Cadwgan, and Riryd, the sons of ^ D. i086.
Plethyn ap Confyn some time Prince of Wales, raised a

rebellion

* Welsh Chron. p. 115.

92 HISTORY OF WALES.

rebellion against Rhys ap Tewdwr,* and having drawn
together a great number of licentious and discontented
people, thought to eject him out of the principality of South
Wales. Rhys had not power and forces enough to oppose
them, while the rebel army increased daily by the addition
of the discontented multitude, wlio always rejoice at any
new commotion or disturbance, and therefore he was com-
pelled to retire to Ireland, where he obtained a very con-
siderable party of Irish and Scots upon promise of a
sufficient reward in the event of his being restored to his
principality. Having by this measure obtained a large
increase to his former strength, he landed in South Wales,
the news of whose arrival being spread abroad, his friends
from all quarters presently assembled about him, so that in
a short time his army became numerous, and able to confront
the enemy. The rebels were aware how the Prince's forces
daily multiplied, arid therefore to prevent any farther addi-
tion, they made all possible haste to force him to a battle,
which in a short time after happened at Lhech y Creu,f
where the rebels were vanquished; Madawc and Riryd
being slain, and Cadwgan glad to save his life by flight.
Rhys having won so signal a victory, and fearing no farther
disturbance, dismissed the Irish and Scots with great
rewards, who honourably returned to their own country.
Within a while after, an unaccountable sacrilege was com-
mitted at St. David's, the shrine belonging to the cathedral
being feloniously conveyed out of the church, all the plate
and other utensils were stolen, and only the shrine left empty
behind. The same year a civil war £ broke out in England,
and several armies in several parts of the kingdom were up
in array at the same time, and amongst the rest the Welsh,
who entering into Gloucester and Worcester shires, burnt
and destroyed all before them to the gate of Worcester. §
The king having drawn his army together, proceeded
against his enemies by degrees, and falling upon their
separate parties, without any great difficulty reduced all to
A. D. 1089. obedience. Within two years after, Archbishop Sulien, the
most pious and learned person in Wales, died, in the
eightieth year of his age, and in the sixteenth year of
his bishoprick; soon after whose death the town of St.
David's suffered a more apparent calamity, being first
plundered, and afterwards burnt by a company of pirates,

who

* Welsh Chron. p. 117. f Lhechayd, in Radnorshire.

J Excited by the Earls of Hereford and Shrewsbury.

§ Called by the Romans Brangonia ; by the Britons Caer-Vrangon ; and b*> the Saxons
Worcester.— Humffrey Lhuyd, p. 26. — Annales Waverlenses, p. 136.— Simon Dunelme,
p. 214.— Matth. Paris, p. 12.— Welsh Chron. p. 118.

HISTORY OF WALES. 93

who much infested the British coasts. About the same
time also died Cadifor the son of Calhoyn Lord of Dyfed,
whose sons Lhewelyn and Eineon moved Gruffydh ap
Meredith to take up arms against his sovereign Prince Rhys
ap Tewdwr, with whom they joined all the forces they could
levy among their tenants and dependants ; then passing
with their army to Lhandydoch,* boldly challenged Rhys
to fight; who thereupon gave them battle, and after a
resolute engagement on both sides, the rebels were at length
worsted, and put to flight, and so closely pursued, that
Gruffydh ap Meredith was taken prisoner, and executed as
a traitor :f but Eineon made his escape, and not venturing
to trust himself with any of his own kindred, he fled to
lestyn ap Gwrgantf Lord of Morgannwc,§ who was then
in actual rebellion against Prince Rhys ; and to ingratiate
himself the more in lestyn's favour, he entered into condi-
tions for the performance of certain articles, one of which
more especially was, that he should receive his daughter in
matrimony ; that he would bring over to his aid a consider-
able body of Normans, with whom he was intimately ac-
quainted, as having served a long time in England. These
articles being agreed to and recorded, Eineon posted to
England, and in a little time brought matters so about, that
he prevailed with Robert Fitzhamon and twelve more
knights to levy a strong army of Normans, and to come to
Wales to the protection and aid of lestyn. The beginning A. D. 1090.
of the following year they landed in Glamorganshire, and
were honourably received by lestyn, who, joining his power
to theirs, marched to Prince Rhys's dominions, where,
without the least shew of mercy to his own countrymen, he
encouraged the Normans by his own example to spoil and
destroy all that came before them. Prince Rhys was much
grieved to find his country so unmercifully harassed; and
though at this time very old, being above ninety-eight years
of age, he would not refrain from meeting his enemies ; and
having with all possible speed raised an army, he met with
them near Brecknock, where, after a terrible fight and a 1091.
great slaughter on both sides, he was unhappily slain. ||
With him fell the glory and grandeur of the principality of
South Wales; for it was afterwards rent in pieces and

divided

* In the county of Pembroke. f Welsh Chron. p. 119.

J lestyn ap Gwrgant wa's the founder of the fourth Royal Tribe of Wales, and de-
scended in the twenty-ninth generation, from the illustrious Caractacus. — " A sorry slip,"
says Mr. Yorke, " from such a stock."— The Silurian prince had defended his country from
foreign enemies : his descendant introduced them to enslave it.— Royal Tribes, p. 129.

§ The territory of Morgannwg or Morgan.

|| Upon the Black Mountain near Brecknock.— Humffrey Lhuyd, p. 80.— Polydore
Vergil, lib. x. p. 171.

94 HISTORY OF WALES.

divided into several parts by piecemeal among the Norman
captains, as is hereafter more particularly related. Prince
Rhys left issue by the daughter of Rywalhon ap Confyn,
two sons, Gruflfydh and Grono, the latter of whom was
detained prisoner by the King of England ; * though the
author of the winning of the lordship of Glamorgan affirms
that he was slain together with his father in this battle
against the Normans.

The Normans having received a sufficient reward from
lestyn, on account of their service against Prince Rhys,
returned to their ships, in order to their voyage homeward ;
but before they could loose anchor to sail off, Eineon re-
called them, being ungratefully affronted by lestyn, who
absolutely refused to make good to him the conditions which
they had agreed upon before the Normans were invited to
Wales. On this account, Eineon was so irreconcileably
incensed against lestyn, that, to be revenged upon him, he
was willing to sacrifice his native country into the hands of
strangers ; and therefore persuaded the Normans as to the
fertility of the country, and how easily they might conquer
and make themselves masters of it. But it needed not many
arguments to persuade a people that were willing of them-
selves, and more especially when encouraged thereto by a
person of some esteem in the country ; wherefore, without
any more questions, they presently fell to their business ;
and from friends became unexpectedly foes. lestyn was
much surprised to find the Nonnans, whom he had but
lately honourably dismissed from his service, and, as he
thought with satisfaction, so soon become his enemies ; but
perceiving a serpent in the hedge, by Eineon being upon
such friendly terms among them, he quickly guessed at the
reason, of which there was no remedy left, and for which he
had to bewail the needless folly of his own knavery. The
Normans easily dispossessed lestyn of the whole lordship of
Glamorgan ; f the most pleasant and fertile part of which
they divided among themselves ; leaving the more moun-
tainous and craggy ground to the share of Eineon ; J but as
Sir Edward Stradling, a descendant from one of Eineon's
Norman associates, hath left a particular and interesting
account of this expedition, and of the principal persons
engaged in it, I shall here insert his statement.

The

* Humffrey Lhuyd's Brev. p. 81.— Welsh Chron. p. 120.

f Humffrey Lhuyd's Brev. p. 80.— Welsh Chron. p. 120.— From Ran. Cest. lib. vii. cap.
7. — Marianus Scotus.

J Camden's Britannia, p. 602 j Gibson's Edit.— Humffrey Lhuyd's Breviary, p, 80.—
Welsh Chron. p. 120.

HISTORY OF WALES. 95

The winning of the Lordship of Glamorgan or Mor-
gannwc out of the Welshmen's Hands, and first of the
description of the same Lordship.

[Reprinted from the Edition of 1584.]

J. N primis, the said lordship in length from Rymny bridge
on the east side, to Pwlh Conan on the west side, is 27
miles. The breadth thereof from the haven of Aburthaw
alias Aberdaon, on the south side, to the confines of
Bredinockshire, above Morleys castle, is 22 miles.

Item the same lordship, being a lordship marcher, or a
lordship royal, and holden of no other lordship, the lords
ever since the winning of the same, owing their obedience
only to the crown, have used therein jura regalia : that is,
the trial of all actions, as well real as personal, with pleas of
the crown, and authority to pardon all offences, treason only
excepted.

Item there were 11 lordships, to wit, Senghennyth,
Myskyn, Ruthin, Lhanblethian, Tir larlh, Glyn Rothney,
Auan, Neth, Coyty, Talauan and Lhantuit alias Bouiarton,
that were members of the said lordship of Glamorgan. In
every of the members were the like jura regalia used in all
things, saving that if any wrong judgement were given in
any of the courts of the said members, it should be reversed
by a writ of false judgement in the county court of Glamor-
gan, as superior court to the said members. Also all
matters of conscience happening in debate in any of the said
members, should be heard and determined in the chancery
of Glamorgan, before the chancellor thereof.

Item, the body of the said lordship of Glamorgan was
(before the alteration of the laws in Wales) a county of itself,
wherein the lord had two castles and three market towns,
to wit, the castle and town of Kynfigs, alias Kefnffigen, in
the west part thereof, and Cowbridge town, alias Pont vaen,
in the middest. And the town and castle of Cardyff, or
Caer-Dhydh, in the east part, in which castle of Cardyff
the lord did most inhabit ; and therein he had his Chancery
and Exchequer, and a fair court house, wherein the county
court was monthly kept on the Monday for all the suiters of
the shrievalty, that is, of the body of the said lordship itself,
without the said members.

Item, within the said shrievalty, or body of the said lord-
ship, were 18 castles, and 36 knight's fees and an half, that

held

96 HISTORY OF WALES.

held of the said lordship of Glamorgan by knights service,
besides a great number of freeholders.

6 Item, in eight of the said members were ten castles and
four borough towns.

7 Item, the annual revenues of the said lordship with the
The value members, was 1000 marks, whereof was allowed in fees 400

of. marks; of the which members aforesaid, John Gamage,
beVore'the' ^sq. occupieth one at this day, descended unto him from
purchase the Turberuiles, his ancestors, that is to wit, the lordship of
thereof. Coytie ; and the heir of John Bassett enjoyeth another, to
wit, the lordship of Talauan, by purchase from King Ed-
ward the sixth. The other nine members, with four of the
aforesaid knights fees, and all the castles, market towns, and
borough towns, with the demesnes of the same ; and all the
lands that were in the lords hands, parcel of the said lord-
ship and members, the earl of Pembroke hath purchased.
The value So that there remaineth now to the senior of the said lord-
of the gj^p Q£ Glamorgan (being in the Queen's Majesty's hands)
but the moity only of the manor of Dynaspowys, of the value
of 26 pounds by the year.

The Manner of the winning of the said Lordship.

A.D. 1091. N the year of our Lord 1091, and in the fourth year of the
reign of King William Rufus, one lestyn, the son of
Gurgant, being lord of the said lordship of Glamorgan,
Rees ap Tewdwr, prince of South Wales, that is, of Caer-
marthyneshire and Cardiganshire, made war upon him.
Whereupon the said lestyn, understanding himself unable to
withstand the said Rees without some aid otherwise, sent
one Eneon, a gentleman of his, to England, to one Robertus
Fitzhamon, a worthy man, and knight of the privy chamber
with the said king, to retain him for his succour. The
which Robert, being desirous to exercise himself in the
feats of war, agreed soon with him thereto for a salary to
him granted for the same. Whereupon the said Robert
Fitzhamon retained to his service for the said journey,
twelve knights, and a competent number of soldiers, and
went into Wales, and joining there with the power of the
said lestyn, fought with the said Rees ap Tewdwr and
killed him, and one Conan his son. After which victory,
the said Robert Fitzhamon, minding to return home again
with his company, demanded his salary to him due of the
said lestyn, according to the covenants and promises agreed

upon

HISTORY OF WALES. 97

upon between him and the aforesaid Eneon, on the behalf
of the said lestyn, his master. The which to perform in all
points the said lestyn denied ; and thereupon they fell out,
so that it came to be tried by battle. And, for so much
as the said Eneon saw his master go from divers articles and
promises that he had willed him to conclude with the said
Robert Fitzhamon, on his behalf, he forsook his master,
and took part, he and his friends, with the said Robert
Fitzhamon. In the which conflict, the said lestyn with
a great number of his men were slain, whereby the said
Robert Fitzhamon won the peaceable possession of the
whole lordship of Glamorgan, with the members, of the
which he gave certain castles and manors, in reward of ser-
vice, to the said twelve knights, and to other his gentlemen.

The Names and Sirnames of the said Twelve Knights
were tJiese.

1 Y ? ILLIAM de Londres alias London.

2 Richardus de Grana villa alias Greenfeeld.

3 Paganus de Turberuile.

4 Robertus de S. Quintino alias S. Quintine.

5 Richardus de Syward.

6 Gilbertus de Humfrevile.

7 Rogerus de Berkrolles.

8 Reginaldus de Sully.

9 Peter le Soore.

10 Johannes le Fleming.

1 1 Oliverus de S. John, a younger brother of the Lord S.

John, of Basing.

12 William le Esterling, whose ancestors came out of

Danske to England with the Danes, and is now by
shortness of speech called Stradling.

The Parcels given by the said Robert Fitzhamon to the
said Twelve Knights and other sf in Reward of Service.

J.N primis, to the said William de Londres, the said i
Robert Fitzhamon gave the castle and manor of Ogmor, Ogmor.
being four knights' fees ; now parcel of the possessions of
the duchy of Lancaster.

Item, to the forenamed Sir Richard Greenfeeld, he gave 2
the castle and lordship of Neth, being one of the members NeUl-
aforesaid ; and now parcel of the possessions of the Right
Hon. the Earl of Penbroke.

Item,
H

98 HISTORY OF WALES.

3 Item, to Sir Paine Turberuile, he gave the castle and
oy y' lordship of Coyty, being another of the said members ; and

now parcel of the possessions of John Gamage, Esq.

4 Item, to Sir Robert S. Quintine he gave the castle and
ih an BIC lordship °f khan Blethan, being another of the said mem-
bers; and now parcel of the possessions of S. William
Herbert, of Swansey, Knt.

5 Item, to Sir Richard Syward, he gave the castle and
Talauan. lordship of Talauan, being another of the said members ;

and now parcel of the possessions of Anthony Maunsell,
Esq.

6 Item, to Sir Gilbert Humfrevile, he gave the castle and
Penmarke. manor of Penmarke, being three knights' fees ; now parcel

of the possessions of the Right Hon. Lord St. John, of
Bledso.

7 Item, to Sir Reginald de Sully, he gave the castle and
Sul|y- manor of Sully, so since called after his name, being two

knights' fees ; now divided betwixt the Earl of Pembroke,
and the Lord St. John, of Bledso.

8 Item, to Sir Roger Berkrolles, he gave the manor of East
Orchard Orcnard, being one knight's fee ; now parcel of the pos-
sessions of S. William Herbert, of Swansey.

9 Item, to Sir Peter le Soore, he gave the castle and manor
Peterton. of peterton, so now called after his name, being one knight's

fee ; now parcel of the possessions of the Earl of Penbroke.

10 Item, to Sir John Fleming, he gave the castle and manor
?orge' of St. George, being one knight's fee; and holden of his

posterity the Flemings to this day.

n Item, to Sir John St. John, he gave the castle and manor

Fonmon. of FOnmon or Fenuon, being one knight's fee; and now

parcel of the possessions of the Lord St. John, of Bledso.
12 Item, to Sir William le Esterling alias Stradling, he gave

s. Donates, the castle and manor of St. Donats or St. Denwit, being one
knight's fee ; now parcel of the possessions of Sir Edward
Stradling, Knt. that now is.

Sum. Four Lordships Members, and Thirteen Knights

Fees.

13 ITEM, he gave to the aforesaid Eneon, that took his part,
the lordship of Senghennyth, being another of the said
members.

14 Item, he gave the castle and lordship of Auan, another of
the said members, to Caradoc Fitz lestyn, the eldest son of
the said lestyn.

Item,

HISTORY OF WALES. 99

Item, be gave the lordship of Ruthyn, another of the said 15
members, to another son of the said lestyn.

Item, the rest of the foresaid knights' fees, being twenty- ie
two and an half, he distributed part to gentlemen that served
him, and part to the Welshmen, right owners of the same.

The Portion that the Lord kept for himself and his

Heirs.

Jl HE castle of Cardyff and Kenfigg, with the foresaid
three market towns of Cardyff, Kenfigg, and Cowbrige, and
the shrievalty, being a body of the said lordship of Gla-
morgan, and all the demesnes of the same, with the rest of
the said members ; to wit, Miskyn, Glynrothney, Tyr larl,
and Boviarton alias Lentwit: and the chief seniory of the
whole the said Robert Fitzhamon kept to himself. And in
the said lordship of Boviarton he had a large grange or
house of husbandry, with the lands to the same belonging,
that served him for the provision of corn to his house. He
dwelt himself most in the said castle or town of Cardyff,
being a fair haven town. And because he would have the
aforesaid twelve knights and their heirs give attendance
upon him every county day (which was always kept by the
sheriff in the utter ward of the said castle, on the Monday
monthly as is before said) he gave every one of them a
.lodging within the said utter ward, the which their heirs,
or those that purchased the same of their heirs, do enjoy at
this day.

Also the1 morrow after the county day, being the Tuesday,
the lord's chancellor sat always in the chancery there, for
the determining of matters of conscience in strife, happening
as well in the said shrievalty as in the members ; the which
day also, the said knights used to give attendance upon the
lord ; and the Wednesday every man drew homeward, and
then began the courts of the members to be kept in order,
one after another.

The Pedigree of Robert Fitzhamon, and of his Heirs,
Lords of Glamorgan.

fWl Some do af-

1 JL HE said Robert Fitzhamon, was son to Hamon, firm that he
a great lord, and kinsman of William the Conqueror, AstreTiie in

who Normandy.
H 2

100

HISTORY OF WALES.

Matt. West,
lib. 2, p. 21.
I. Castor.
Matt. Paris,
page 22.

who came into the realm with him. This Robert (as is
before said) was knight of the privy chamber with King
William Rufus ; who (as it appeareth in the Chronicles)
dreamed the night before the king was killed, that he
saw the king torn in pieces by wolves ; and therefore, by
his persuasion, he walled the king to forbear to go
abroad that forenoon. But the king, when he had
dined, there was no man able to stay him, but that he
would ride forth a hunting into the new forest, where
he was slain by Walter Tyrrel, by the glancing of his
arrow shooting at a red deer.

2 Mawd, the only daughter and heiress of the said
Robert, was married to Robert, Earl of Glocester,
base son to King Henry the First.

3 William, Earl of Glocester, son to the said Robert
and Mawd, died without issue male, leaving behind him
three daughters, of the which, Isabel, the eldest, was
married to King John, then Earl of Oxenford and
Lancaster, (as some chronicles do declare,) who, so soon
as he was made king was divorced from her, and then
she was married to Geffrey Mandevile, Earl of Essex,
and died without issue, as far as I can find.

4 The second daughter named Amicia, was married to
Sir Gilbart de Clare, then Earl of Clare, by whom he
had the earldom of Glocester : and Mabile, the third
daughter, was married to the Earl of Eureux.

5 Sir Gilbart de Clare, son to the said Gilbart, was the
fourth Earl of Glocester.

6 Sir Richard de Clare's son was the fifth Earl.

7 Sir Gilbart's son was the sixth Earl.

8 Sir Gilbart's son, who married Jane de Acres,
daughter to King Edward I. was the seventh Earl.

9 Sir Gilbart de Clare their son was the eighth Earl,
and he was slain by the Scots in King Edward the
Second's time ; and then the earldom fell between his
three sisters. Of the which, Elianor, the eldest, was
married to Hugh Spencer, the son, in her right Earl of
Glocester. Margaret, the second, was married to Peires
Gaueston, and after to the Lord Awdeley. Elizabeth,
the third, was married first to William, Lord Burgh,
Earl of Ulster, and after to Ralph Roch, Baron of
Armoy, in Ireland ; she was married the third time to
Theobald L. Verdoun, and lastly to Sir Roger Damory,
and had issue by every one of them.

Sir Hugh Spencer had to his wives purpartee the said

10

lordship of Glamorgan.

11

CAMPBELL
COLLECTION

HISTORY OF WALES. 101

1 1 Sir Hugh, Lord Spencer, their son, enjoyed the same,
and died without issue.

12 Edward, Lord Spencer, son to Edward, brother to
the said Hugh, succeeded the said Hugh therein.

13 Thomas, Lord Spencer, his son, succeeded him.

14 Richard, Lord Spencer, his son, succeeded him, and
died in ward.

15 Isabell, sister to Richard, succeeded him, and married
with Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester, and Lord
Burgavenny, who had issue by her a daughter only, and
died. The which daughter was married to Edward, the
son of Dawraby, Ralph Neuel, Earl of Westmoreland.
And after the death of the said Earl of Worcester, the
said Isabell married with Richard Beauchamp, Earl of
Warwick.

16 Henry Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, and after Duke
of Warwick, their son, died without issue.

17 Anne, his sister of whole blood succeeded him, and
married with Richard Neuel, after Earl of Salisburie,
and in her right Earl of Warwick, and had issue two
daughters, Mary, married to the Duke of Clarence, and
Anne, married first to Prince Edward, slain at Teux-
burie, and after his death with Richard, Duke of
Glocester, who was afterwards King of England.

18 The said Anne and King Richard (being then Duke
of Glocester) had the said lordship given unto them
by the said Anne, Countess of Warwick, her mother.

19 King Henry the Seventh enjoyed the same after the
death of King Richard.

20 lasper, Duke of Bedford, enjoyed the same by the
gift of King Henry the Seventh, and died without
issue ; and by reason thereof it remained to the king
again.

21 King Henry the Eighth enjoyed the same after his
father.

22 King Edward the Sixth succeeded him therein, and
sold almost all the lands thereof.

23 Queen Mary succeeded him in the seniory.

24 Queen Elizabeth our most dread sovereign that now
is, doth succeed her in the same seniory, and hath sold
the lordship of Neth from it ; so that now there remain
no more lands appertaining to the seniory, but the
moity of the manor of Deinaspowys only.

The

102 HISTORY OF WALES.

The Pedigree of Londres, Lord of Ogmore, one of the
said Twelve.

1 WlLLIAM LONDRES, lord of the castle and
manor of Ogmore, (as is before said,) won afterwards
the lordships of Kydwelhey and Carnewilhion, in Car-
marthenshire, from the Welshmen ; and gave to Sir
Arnold Butler his servant, the castle and manor of Dun-
reeven, in the lordship of Ogmore aforesaid. The
which ever since hath continued in the heirs male of
the said Arnold Butler, until within these few years that
it fell to Walter Vaghan, sister's son to Arnold Butler,
the last of the Butlers that was owner thereof.

2 Simon de Londres, his son, succeeded him.

3 William de Londres succeeded his father Simon, and
had issue one son.

4 Moris de Londres, his son, succeeded him, and had
issue one only daughter,

5 The said daughter married with one Seward, a man
of great possessions.

6 They had issue a daughter only, married to Henrie,
Earl of Lancaster, brother to Thomas, Earl of Lan-
caster.

7 Henrie their son, made afterwards Duke of Lancaster,
did succeed them; and so the said three lordships,
Ogmore, Kydwelhey, and Carnewilhion, became parcels
of the Duchy of Lancaster ever after.

The Pedigree of Greenefeeld.

Richard Greenefeeld before said, (to whom the
lordship of Neth was given in reward,) was lord of the
castle and manor of Bydyford, in Devonshire, at the time he
came into Wales with the said Robert Fitzhamon, and
founded an abby of white monks in Neth, and gave the
whole lordship to the maintenance of the same, and then
returned back again to Bydyford, whereat the issue male of
his body doth yet remain, and enjoy eth the same.

The Pedigree of Turberuile, Lord of Goyty,

I ^IR Paine Turberuile, Lord of Coyty, as is before
said.

2

HISTORY OF WALES. 103

2 Sir Simon Turberuile succeeded him, and died with-
out issue.

3 Sir Gilbart Turberuile succeeded his brother.

4 Sir Paine Turberuile, his son, succeeded him, and
married Mawd, daughter and sole heir to Morgan Gam,
one of the nephews of the aforesaid lestyn.

5 Sir Gilbart, their son, quartered lestyn's arms with
Turberuile's.

6 Sir Gilbart, his son, succeeded him.

7 Sir Richard, his son, succeeded him.

8 Sir Paine, his son, succeeded him, who merried with
Wenlhian, daughter to Sir Richard Talbot, Knt.
and had issue by her two sons, that is to wit, Gilbart
and Richard; and four daughters, namely, Catharine,
Margaret, Agnes, and Sara.

9 Sir Gilbart succeeded Sir Paine his father.

10 Sir Gilbart, his son, succeeded him, and died without

issue.
J.1 Sir Richard, his father's brother, succeeded him, and

having no issue, entailed the lordship of Coyty to the

heirs male of Sir Roger Berkerolles, Knt.

1 Sir Roger Berkerolles, Knt. son to Sir William
Berkerolles, Knt. and Phelice his wife, one of the
daughters of Veere, Earl of Oxenfbrd, which said Sir
Roger had married Catharine, the eldest sister of the
said Sir Richard. And for default of such issue, the
remainder to the heirs male of Sir Richard Stakepoole,

2 Knt. who married with Margaret, second sister of the
said Richard. And for default of such issue, the
remainder to the heirs of Sir John de la Beare, Knt.

,3 and Agnes his wife, the third sister to the said Richard.
And for lack of such issue male, the remainder to the
4 heirs male of William Gamage, and of Sara his wife,
the fourth sister to the said Sir Richard Turberuile.

The said Berkrolles, Stakepoolle, and De la Beare,
died without issue male,* by reason whereof, after the

death

* Robert, the only brother of the said Sir Richard Stacpoole, married a daughter of
Sir John Sitsylt or Cecil!.

T Sir William Stacpoole, his eldest son, married a daughter of Howel ap Ithel, Lord of
Roos and Ryuonioc, now Denbighland. The said Sir William Stacpoole had a command
in an army, raised in the reign of King Stephen, against David, King of Scots, but died
young, leaving three sons and one daughter.

Sir Richard Stacpoole, his eldest son, of Stacpoole, in the county of Pembrooke, married
a daughter of Sir Henry Vernon, of Haddon, in the Peke.

No mention is made of the second son ; but Robert, the youngest son, epcouraged by
his cousin Robert Fitzstephen, went over to Ireland with Richard, Earl of Strigule, known
by the name of Strongbow, and was a captain of archers in that division of the army that

Fitzstephen

104 HISTORY OF WALES.

death of Sir Laurence Berkerolles, Knt. son to the said
Sir Roger, and Catharine his wife; the said lordship
fell to Sir William Gamage, son to Gilbert, son to the
foresaid William Gamage, and Sara. The said William
was son to Sir Robert Gamage, Knt. son to Paine
Gamage, lord of the manor of Rogiade, in the county of
Monmowth. The foresaid Sir William had issue
Thomas, Thomas had issue John, John had issue
Morgan, Morgan had issue Sir Thomas Gamage, Knt.
and Margaret, wife to lenkin Thomas, and Anne, wife
to Robert Raglan, and Catharine, wife to Reginald ap
Howel, and Wenlhian, wife to Thomas ap Meyric.

The said Sir Thomas Gamage had issue Robert
Gamage, that late was ; Catharine his eldest daughter,
wife to Sir Thomas Stradling, Knt. Marie the second
daughter, wife to Matthew Herebert ; Margaret the third
daughter, wife to the Lord William Howard; and
Elizabeth the fourth daughter, wife to Richard Hogan,
of Penbrookeshire, Esq. The said Robert Gamage had
issue John Gamage, that now is.

1 Sole heir general to the said Sir Roger Berkrolles,
Knt. and Catharine, one of the four sisters, and heirs
general to the aforesaid Sir Richard Turberuile, Knt.
is Sir Edward Stradling, Knt. that now is.

2 Sole heir general to the said Sir Richard Stakepoole,
of Penbrookeshire, and Margaret his wife, another of
the four sisters, and heirs general to the said Sir Richard
Turberuille, Knt. is Sir George Vernon, Knt.

3 Heirs general to the said Sir John de la Beare, Knt.
and Agnes his wife, another of the four sisters, and heirs
general of the said Sir Richard Turberuille, Knt. are
Oliuer S. John, Lord S. John, of Bledso, and William
Basset, of Glamorgan, Esq. that now is.

4 John Gamage, Esq. that now is, is as well heir
general lineally descended from Sara the fourth sister,
and heir to the said Sir Richard Turberuile, Knt. as
also heir by the entail aforesaid, to the whole lordship
of Coyty.

Robert

Fitzstephen commanded under Strongbow, in the year 1168, the fourteenth year of King
Henry the Second.

The said Robert Stacpoole after settled in Ireland, and his lineal descendant has a large
property in the county of Clare, in that kingdom.

The old mansion of Stacpoole Court, and a large estate in Pembrokeshire, descended
to a grand-daughter of the second Sir Richard Stacpoole, and became the property of the
son of the late Pryse Campbell, Esq. who was member for that county, and died in 1769

HISTORY OF WALES. 105

Robert de S. Quintine, his Pedigree.

Robert de S. Quintine, to whom the lordship of
Lhanblethian was given, and his issue male enjoyed the
same until King Henry the Third's time. And then, or in
a short time after, his issue male failed, of whom is de-
scended Sir William Parr, late Marquis of Northampton.

Richard de Syward, his Pedigree.

Richard Syward, to whom the lordship of Talauan
wras given, and his issue male, enjoyed the same until King
Edward the Third's time ; at which time the heirs thereof
having other lands in Somersetshire, sold the said lordship
to the Lord Spencer, then Lord of Glamorgan, and went
into Somersetshire to dwell there, where his issue male
continueth yet.

Gilbert de Humfreuile, his Pedigre.

IR Gilbert Humfreuile aforesaid, to whom the castle
and manor of Penmarke was given, and his issue male,
enjoyed the same till the said King Edward the Third's
time; and then the inheritance of the said castle and manor
descended to Sir John S. John, of Fonmon, Knt. to whom
the forenamed Lord S. John, of Bledso, is sole heir.

SIR

Roger de Berkerolles, Knt. his Pedigree.

Roger Berkerolles aforesaid, Knt. to whom the
manor of East Orchard was given ; and his issue male,
enjoyed the same till the thirteenth year of Henrie the
Fourth; that Sir Laurence Berkerolles, Knt. died, whom
Sir Edward Stradling, Knt. as sole heir did succeed, being
son to Sir William Stradling, Knt. son to Sir Edward
Stradling, Knt. and Wenlhian sole sister and heir to the
said Sir Laurence, of .whom Edward Stradling, Knt. (that
now is) is lineally descended.

Reginald

106 HISTORY OF WALES.

Reginald de Sully, Knt. his Pedigree.

Reginald de Sully, to whom the castle and manor of
Sully was given, and his issue male, enjoyed the same until
about King Edward the First's time. And then it fell to a
daughter married to Sir Morgan de Avan, Lord of the
lordship of Avan above-named; whose son, Sir John de
Avan, had but one daughter, of whom Sir George Blunt, of
Shropshire, is lineally descended as sole heir, whose ances-
tor gave the said lordship of Avan, and the castle and
manor of Sully to the Lord Spencer, in exchange for other
lands in England.

Peter le Soore, Knt. his Pedigree.

Peter le .Soore, Knt. to whom was given the c,astle
and manor of Peter's Towne, and his issue male, enjoyed
the same until King Henry the Fourth's time, and then died
without issue, and his inheritance fell between divers.

John le Fleming, Knt. his Pedigree.

John le Fleming, Knt. to whom the castle and manor
.of S. George was given, and his issue male, enjoyed the
same until King Henry the Fourth's time ; and then it fell
to Edmond Malefant, who had married a daughter to the
last Fleming. And in King Henry the Seventh's time the
Malefants' issue by Fleming's daughter failed; and then
It fell to John Butler, of Dunreeven above named, Esq. and
after the death of him and of Arnold his son, both the
inheritances of Fleming and Butler fell to Walter Vaghan,
of Brodemard, in the county of Hereford, Esq. now living,
sister's son to the said Arnold Butler.

Oliuer de S. John, Knt. his Pedigree.

Oliuer S. John, Knt. to whom the castle and manor
of Fonmon was given, and his heirs male have ever since
enjoyed the same, to whom the above-named Lord S. John,
ofBledso, that now is, is sole heir; whose ancestors from

the

HISTORY OF WALES. 107

the winning of the said lordship of Glamorgan out of the
Welshmens hands, have continually dwelt at Fonmon afore-
said, until the latter time of King Edward the Fourth.
That John S. John, Esq. had the said lordship of Bledso,
and many other possessions besides, by the death of dame
Margaret Beauchampe, his mother, who was also mother to
Margaret, Duchess of Somerset, mother to King Henry the
Seventh. Since which time the said John S. John, and Sir
John S. John, Knt. father to my lord that now is, have
always dwelt in Bledso, but they do keep their lands in
Wales still in their hands.

William le Esterling, alias Stradling, his Pedigree.

1 J^IR William Esterling, Knt. to whom the castle and
manor of S. Donat's was given.

2 Sir John le Esterling, Knt. his son, succeeded him.

3 Sir Morris le Esterling, Knt. his son, succeeded him.

4 Sir Robert le Esterling, Knt. (most commonly called
Stradling by shortness of speech and change of some
letters) succeeded him.

5 Sir Gilbert Stradling, Knt. his son, succeeded him.

6 Sir William Stradling, Knt. his son, succeeded him.

7 Sir John Stradling, Knt. his son, succeeded him.
It doth not appear in what stock or surname any of these
seven knights above named did marry ; but the names of
the wives of William the first, Robert, and John the
second, were Hawisia, Mathilda, and Cicilia.

8 Sir Peter Stradling, Knt. his son, succeeded him,
who in the beginning of King Edward the First's time
and reign married lulian, sole daughter and heir of
Thomas Hawey, by whom he had three manors, Hawey
and Comhawey, in Somersetshire, yet remaining to his
heirs, and Compton Hawey, in Dorsetshire, sold of late
years.

9 Sir Edward Stradling, Knt. their son, succeeded
them, and he quartered the Haweys' arms with his, and
married with Elianpr, daughter and heir to Gilbert
Strangbow, a younger brother, whose wife was daughter
and heir to Richard Garnon, and had by her two
manors in Oxefordshire.

10 Sir Edward Stradling, Knt. his son, succeeded him,
and married with Wenlhian, daughter to Roger Berk-
rolles, Knt. and sole sister and heir to Sir Laurence
Berkrolles, Knt. as it happened afterward.

108 HISTORY OF WALES.

11 Sir William Stradling, Knt. his son, married with
Isabel, daughter and heir to John S. Barbe, of Somer-
setshire ; but he had no lands by her, for it was entailed
to the heirs male. This Sir William, in King Richard
the Second's time, went a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and
received there also the orders of knighthood of the
sepulchre of Christ.

12 Sir Edward Stradling, Knight, his son, succeeded
him, who, because he was sole heir general to the said
S. Barbe, did quarter S. Barbe's arms with his. To
whom also (in the thirteenth year of King Henry the
Fourth) fell the whole inheritance of the Berkerolles,
and the right of the fourth part of Turberuile's in-
heritance, Lord of Coyty aforesaid ; the which, for lack
of issue male of the said Berkerolles, remained to
Gamage and to his heirs male by the especial entail
Aforesaid. The which Sir Edward did quarter not only
the said Berkerolles' arms with his, but also the Tur-
beruiles and lestynes arms ; of whom the Turberuiles
had in marriage one of the inheritors as is before said,
because the said Sir Edward was one of the four heirs
general to Sir Richard Turberuile, to wit, son to Sir
William Stradling, son to Wenlhian, sister and heir to
the said Laurence Berkerolles, and daughter to
Catharine, eldest sister, and one of the four heirs
general to the aforesaid Sir Richard Turberuile.

The said Sir Edward married with Jane, daughter to
Henry Beauford, afterwards Cardinal, begotten (before
he was priest) upon Alice, one of the daughters of
Richard, Earl of Arundel ; and in the beginning of
King Henry the Seventh's reign, he went likewise on
pilgrimage unto lerusalem, as his father did, and
received the order of the sepulchre there.

This Sir Edward had to his brother Sir John Strad-
ling, Knight, who married with the heir of Dauncy, in
Wiltshire, and had issue Sir Edmond, who had issue
John and Edmond. John had issue Anne, Lady
Davers, of whom the Davers, Hugerfordes, Fynes, and
Leuet, and a great progeny of them are descended ; and
of the said Edmond cometh Carnysoyes, of Cornewal.

The said Edward had another brother called William,
of whom Stradlyn, of Ruthyn, and others are descended ;
the same William had a daughter named Wenlhian,
who, by the Earl of Ryuers, had a daughter, married to
Sir Robert Poynes, of whom cometh all the Poynes, the
Newtons, Perots, and others.

HISTORY OF WALES. 109

13 Sir Harrie Stradling, Knight, his son, succeeded
him, and married with Elizabeth, sister of whole blood
to Sir William Herbert, Knight, Earl of Penbrooke,
and had issue by her one son and two daughters ; one of
them was married to Myles ap Harry, of whom Mrs.
Blanch ap Harrie and her brethren and uncles are
descended ; the other daughter was married to Fleming,
of Monton, in Wales.

This Sir Harrie, in the sixteenth year of King Edward
the Fourth, went in like manner on pilgrimage to Jeru-
salem, and received the order of the sepulchre there, as
his father and grandfather did, and died in the Isle of
Cypres in his coming home ; whose book is to be seen
as yet, with a letter that his man brought from him to
his lady and wife. The saying is, that divers of his said
ancestors made the like pilgrimage, but there remaineth
no memory in writing but of these three.

This Sir Harrie, sailing from his house in Somerset-
shire to his house in Wales, was taken prisoner by a
Brytaine pirate, named Colyn Dolphyn, whose redemp-
tion and charges stood him in 2000 marks; for the
payment whereof he was driven to sell the castle and
manor of Basselek and Sutton, in Monmouthshire, and
the manors in Oxfordshire.

14 Thomas Stradling, Esq. his son, succeeded him, and
married lenet, daughter to Thomas Matthew, of Rayder,
Esq. and had issue by her two sons, Edward and Harrie,
and one daughter named Jane, and died before he was
twenty-six years of age. After whose death, his wife
married with Sir Rice ap Thomas, Knight of the Garter.
Harrie married with the daughter and heir of Thomas
lubb, learned in the law, and had issue by her Francis
Stradling, of S. George, of Bristow, yet living. lane
was married to Sir William Gruffyth, of North Wales,
Knt. and had issue by her three sons, Edward, Sir Rice
Gruffyth, Knt. and John, and seven daughters. The
oldest married to Stanley, of Houghton, the second to
Sir Richard Buckley, Knt. the third to Lewys, the
fourth to Moston, the fifth to Conwey, the sixth to
Williams, the seventh to Pers Motton, and after to
Simon Theloal, Esq. whose wife at this time she is ; the
eighth to Philips. Of which daughters there be a won-
derful number descended. Edward married Jane,
daughter to Sir J ohn Puleston, Knt. and had issue by
her three daughters ; Jane married to William Herbert,
of S. Julian ; Catharine married, to William Herbert, of

Swansey,

110 HISTORY OF WALES.

Swansey, and another daughter married to Sir Nicholas
Bagnoll, Knt.

15 Sir Edward Stradling, Knt. succeeded his father, and
married with Elizabeth, one of the three daughters of
Sir Thomas Arundell, of Lanheyron, in Cornewall, Knt.
The other two were married to Speke and S. Lowe, and
had issue four sons, Thomas, Robert, Edward, and
John. Robert married Watkyn Lodher's daughter, and
by her hath many children ; Edward married with the
daughter and heir of Robert Baglan, of Lantwit, and
hath also divers children ; and John is a priest. Also
the said Sir Edward had two daughters ; Jane married
to Alexander Popham, of Somersetshire, of whom is a
great number descended ; and Catharine married to Sir
Thomas Palmer, of Sussex, who hath a son named
William.

16 Sir Thomas Stradling, Knt. his son, succeeded him,
and married Catharine, the eldest daughter to Sir
Thomas Gamage, of Coyty,Knt. and to dame Margaret
his wife, daughter to Sir John S. John, of Bledso, Knt.
by whom he hath living yet two sons, Edward and
Dauid ; and five daughters, Elizabeth, Damasyn, lane,
loice, and Wenlhian.

17 Sir Edward Stradling, Knt. that now is, married
Agnes, second daughter to Sir Edward Gage, of Sussex,
Knt. and as yet in the year 1572 hath no issue.

Memorandum, that of the heirs male of the aforesaid
twelve knights that came with Sir Robert Fitzhamori to
the winning of Glamorgan, the lordship aforesaid, there
is at this day but the Stradling alive, that dwelleth in
Wales, and enjoy eth the portion given in reward to his
ancestors.

There be yet of the younger brothers of the Turberuiles
and Flemings.

Greenefeeld and Syward do yet remain, but they
dwell in England, and have done away their lands in
Wales.

The Lord S. John, of Bledso (although he keepeth
his ancient inheritance in Wales) yet he dwelleth in
England.

Thus far the copy of the winning of Glamorgan, as I
received the same at the hands of' Mrs. Blanch Parrie,
penned by Sir Edward Stradling, Knt.

D. POWEL.

We

HISTORY OF WALES. Ill

We may here observe what a train of circumstances
concurred together, in favour of the Normans having pos-
session of this lordship : for had not Eineon, being van-
quished by Prince Rhys, fled to lestyn rather than to
another, or had not lestyn been so vain as to attempt the
conquest of South Wales, and to that end consented to the
advice of Eineon, there had been no necessity of inviting
the Normans at all to Wales. And then, the Normans
being arrived, had not Testyn faithlessly violated his pro-
mise, and refused to perform the articles agreed upon
between him and Eineon, or had not Eineon pursued so
desperate a revenge, but satisfied his passion upon lestyn,
without prejudice to his country, the Normans would have
returned home with satisfaction, and consequently could
never have been proprietors of that noble country they then
forcibly possessed. And again, the Welsh here experienced
the dangerous consequence of calling in a foreign nation to
their aid ; the Saxons had already dispossessed them of the
best part of the island of Britain, and now the Normans
seized upon a great part of that small country which had
escaped the sovereignty and conquest of the English.

About the same time that Robert Fitzhamon took the
lordship of Glamorgan, Barnard Newmarch,* a nobleman
likewise of Normandy, obtained by conquest the lordship of
Brecknock; and Henry de Newburgh, son to Roger de
Bellemont, by the Conqueror made Earl of Warwick, the
country of Gower. But Barnard Newmarch gave the peo-
ple of Wales some small satisfaction and content, by marry-
ing Nest, the daughter also of Nest, daughter to Lhewelyn
ap Gruffydh Prince of Wales, by whom he had issue a son
called Mahael. This worthy gentleman being legally to
succeed his father in the lordship of Brecknock, was after-
wards disinherited by the malice and baseness of his own
unnatural mother. The occasion was thus : Nest becoming
enamoured of a certain knight, with whom she had more
than ordinary familiarity, even beyond what she expressed
to her own husband ; Mahael, who perceived her dissolute
and loose behaviour, counselled her to take care of her
fame and reputation, and to leave off that scandalous liberty
which she took ; and afterwards meeting casually her gallant
coming from her, fought and grievously wounded him.

Upon

* Several gentlemen came about this time to Brecknock with Barnard Newmarch, to
whom he gave the following manors, which their heirs enjoy at this time : The manor of
Abercynvric and Slowch to the Aubreys : the manors of Llanhamlach and Tal-v-Lhyn
to the Walbiefs: the manor of Gilston to the Gunters : and the manor of Pontw'ilym to
the Havards, &c.— See Welsh Chron. p. 150.— Camden's Britannia, p. 590, Gibson's Edit

112 HISTORY OF WALES.

Upon this Nest, to be revenged upon her son, went to
Henry the First, King of England, and in his presence took
her corporeal oath, that her son was illegitimate, and not begot
by Barnard Newmarch her husband, but by another person ;
by virtue of which oath, or rather perjury, Mahael was
disinherited, and his sister, whom her mother attested to be
legitimate, was bestowed by the King upon Milo, the son
of Walter Constable, afterwards Earl of Hereford, who, in
right of his wife, enjoyed the whole estate of Barnard
Newmarch, Lord of Brecknock. Of this Milo, it is re-
ported, that telling King Henry of a strange accident which
had occurred to him by Lhyn Savathan, in Wales, where
the birds upon the pond, at the passing by of Gruffydh, the
son of Rhys ap Theoder, seemed by their chirping to be in
a manner overjoyed ; the king replied, it was not so wonder-
ful, " for although (says he) manifestly we have violently
and injuriously oppressed that nation, yet it is known that
they are the lawful and original inheritors of that country."
Whilst the Normans were thus carving for themselves in
Glamorgan and Brecknock, Cadogan ap Blethyn ap Confyn,
towards the end of April, entered into Dy ved, and, having
ravaged and destroyed the country, returned back: but
within eight weeks after there succeeded him a more fatal
enemy ; for the Normans landing in Dyved and Cardigan,
began to fortify themselves in castles and other strong
places, and to inhabit the country upon the sea-shore,
which before was not in their possession. Indeed the
Normans, having by the connivance of the Conqueror al-
ready got into their hands all the best estates in England,
began now to spy out the commodities of Wales; and
perceiving, moreover, how well Robert Fitzhamon and
Barnard Newmarch had sped there, thought they might
expect the like fortune. Wherefore, having obtained a
grant from King William (who readily consented to their
request, because by this means he killed two birds with one
stone, procuring to himself their utmost service upon occa-
sion, and withal providing for them without any charge to
himself) they came to Wales, and so entered upon the
estates appointed them by the king, which they held of him
by knight-service, having first done homage and sworn
fealty for the same. Roger Montgomery Earl of Arundel
did homage for the lordships of Powys and Cardigan;
Hugh Lupus Earl of Chester for Tegengl and Ryfonioc,
together with all the land lying upon the sea-shore to the
river Conwy; Arnulph, a younger son of Roger Mont-
gomery, for Dyved: Barnard Newmarch for Brecknock;

Ralph

HISTORY OF WALES. 113

Ralph Mortimer for Elvel; Hugh de Lacy for the land of
Ewyas; Eustace Omer for Mold and Hapredale; and
several others did the like homage for other lands. But
Roger Montgomery, who by the Conqueror was created
Earl of Arundel and Shrewsbury, entered in an hostile
manner into Powysland, and having won the castle and
town of Baldwyn, fortified it in his own right, and called it
Montgomery after his own name.* King William of Eng-
land WPS now in Normandy, and busily engaged in a war
against his brother Robert; and taking advantage of his
absence, Gruffydh ap Conan, Prince of North Wales, and
Cadogan ap Blethyn, who now ruled in South Wales, with
joint force entered into Cardigan, and slew a great number
of Normans, whose arrogance and excessive cruelty towards
the Welsh were become intolerable. After taking suffi-
cient revenge there they returned home, and the Normans
sent for aid from England; which being arrived, they
thought to make a private inroad into North Wales, and so
to be avenged upon the Welsh : but their design being
discovered to Cadogan, he drew up his forces to meet them,
and unexpectedly falling upon them in the forest of Yspys,
after a very warm resistance on the part of the Normans, he
forced them to retire by flight, and then triumphantly march-
ing through Cardigan and Dyved, he destroyed all the
castles and fortifications in the country, excepting those of
Pembroke and Rydcors, which proved too strong, and, as
regarded his force, were impregnable.

The next year, the Normans who inhabited the country of A. D. 1C93.
Glamorgan invaded and ravaged the countries of Gwyr,
Kidwely, and Ystrad Tywy, which they harassed in such a
cruel manner, that they left them bare of inhabitants ; and
to increase the miseries of the Welsh, King William Rufus,
being informed of the great slaughter which Gruflfydh ap
Conan and the sons of Blethyn ap Confyn had lately com-
mitted upon the English, as well within Cheshire, Shrop-
shire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire, as within Wales,
entered the country at Montgomery, which place the Welsh
having some time since demolished King William had
recently rebuilt : but the Welsh kept all the passages thro'
the woods and rivers, and all other straits, so close, that the
King could effect nothing considerable against them; and
therefore when he perceived that his labour was but lost in
continuing in those parts, he forthwith retreated, and re-
turned without honour to England. This retreat of King 1094

William
i
* See Camden's Brit- p. 650. Gibson's Edition .—Welsh Chron. p. 152.

114 HISTORY OF WALES.

William was not altogether so favourable to the interest of
the Welsh as the death of William Fitz-Baldwyn, who was
owner of the castle of Rydcors, and who did more injury to
the men of South Wales than any other person. He being
dead, the garrison of Rydcors, which was wont to keep the
Welsh in continual awe, forsook that place, and by that
means gave opportunity to the inhabitants of Gwyr, Breck-
nock, Gwent, and Gwentlhwc, to shake off the intolerable
yoke which the Normans had forced upon them, who, after
they had robbed them of their lands, kept them in con-
tinual subjection. William Fitz-Baldwyn being now, how-
ever, dead, and the garrison of Rydcors scattered, they
ventured to lay violent hands upon the Normans, who
thought themselves free from all danger; and they pre-
vailed so successfully, that they drove them all out of the
country, and recovered their own ancient estates : but the
Normans thus ousted liked that country so well, that they
were resolved not to be so easily deprived of what they had
with a great deal of pains and danger once possessed ; and
therefore having drawn a great number of English and
Normans to their aid, they were anxious to venture another
encounter with the Welsh, and to return, if possible, to
their once acquired habitations. The Welsh, however, so
abhorred their arrogant and tyrannical dominion over them
when they were masters, that they were resolved not to be
subject to such tyrants again; and therefore they boldly
met them at a place called Celly larfawc, and fell upon
them so manfully, (the very apprehension of servitude in-
citing their spirits,) that they put them to flight with great
slaughter, and drove them out of the country. Yet the
Normans were not absolutely routed in this overthrow : for,
like a fly in the night, that destroys itself in the candle,
they must needs seek their own destruction ; and their gree-
diness urging them on to venture that with few which was
not practicable by many, they came as far as Brecknock,
with a vow and determination not to leave one living thing
remaining in that country: but they fell short of their
intention, for the people of the country having placed them-
selves at a narrow strait, expecting their passing through,
as soon as the Normans came up, fell upon them, and killed
a great number of them. About the same time, Roger
Montgomery Earl of Salop and Arundel, William Fitz-
eustace Earl of Gloucester, Arnold de Harecourt, and
Neal le Vicount, were slain by the Welsh between Caerdiff
and Brecknock, and Walter Eureux Earl of Sarum, Rosmer,
Mantilake, and Hugh Earl of Gourney, were wounded,

who

HISTORY OF WALES. 115

who afterwards died in Normandy.* The Normans, finding
that they continually lost ground, thought it not advisable
to stay any longer; and therefore having placed sufficient
garrisons in those castles which they had formerly built,
they returned with what speed they could to England.
Yet all the haste they made could not secure them from the
fury of the Welsh; for Gruffydh and Ifor, the sons of
Ednerth ap Cadogan, waylaid them at a place called Aber-
Ihech, where, falling unexpectedly upon them, they slew the
greatest part of their number, the remainder narrowly
escaping in safety to England : but the Norman garrisons
which were left behind defended themselves with a great
deal of bravery, till at last, finding no prospect of relief,
they were forced for their own safety to deliver up the
fortresses to the Welsh, who from that time became again
proprietors of those places of which the Normans had
dispossessed them. This encouraged the Welsh to under-
take other things against the English; for immediately
after this, certain of the nobility of North Wales, Uchthred
the son of Edwyn ap Grono by name, together with Howel
ap Grono, and the sons of Cadogan ap Blethyn of Powys-
land, passed by Cardigan into Dyved (which country King
William had given to Arnulph son to Roger Montgomery,
who had built thereon the castle of Pembroke, and appointed
Gerald de Windsor governor of the same,)f and destroying
all the country with fire and sword, excepting Pembroke
castle, which was impregnable, they returned home with a
great deal of booty. In return for this, when the lords of
North Wales had retired, Gerald issued out of the castle,
and spoiled all the country about St. David's ; and after he
had obtained much plunder, and taken divers prisoners,
returned to the castle.

The year following, King William returned from Nor- A. D. 1095.
mandy, and having heard how the Welsh had cut off a
great number of his subjects in Wales, gathered all his
power together, and with great pomp and ostentation en-
tered the marches, resolving utterly to eradicate the rebel-
lious and implacable disposition of the Welsh nation : but
after all this boast and seeming resolution, he ventured no
farther than the marches, and having built there some few
castles, he returned with no greater honour than he came.
In the next spring, Hugh de Montgomery Earl of Arundel 1096.
and Salop, by the Welsh named Hugh G6ch,J and Hugh

Fras,
i 2

* Welsh Chron. p. 154. f Ibid.

J Hugh with a red head. •

116 , HISTORY OF WALES.

Fras, or the Fat, Earl of Chester, being invited by some
disaffected Welsh lords, came into North Wales with a very
great army. Prince Gruffydh ap Conan, and Cadogan ap
Blethyn, perceiving themselves to be too weak to oppose so
numerous an army, and, what was worse, suspecting the
fidelity of their own forces, thought it best to take to the
hills and mountains for safety, as the places where they
might remain most secure from the enemy. Then the
English army marched towards Anglesey, and being come
opposite the island, they built the castle of Aberlhiennawc :
but Gruffydh and Cadogan could no longer endure to see
their country over-run by the English, and therefore they
descended from the mountains and came to Anglesey, think-
ing, with what succours they should receive from Ireland,
(of which they were disappointed,) to be able to defend the
island from any attempt that should be made upon it : and
then the whole reason and occasion of the English coming
to Wales was discovered ; for Owen ap Edwyn, the Prince's
chief counsellor, whose daughter Gruffydh had married
(having himself also married Everyth the daughter of
Confyn, aunt to Cadogan), upon some private pique or
other, had requested the English to come into Wales, and
he at this time openly joined his forces with theirs, and led
the whole army over into Anglesey. Gruffydh and Cadogan
finding they were thus betrayed by him that they had
believed to be their dearest friend, for fear of farther
treachery, judged it prudent to sail privately for Ireland;
after whose departure the English fell cruelly to work,
destroying all they could come at, without any respect
either to age or sex.

Whilst the English continued in Anglesey, Magnus the
son of Harold, lately King of England, came over with a
great fleet, intending to take more secure hold upon that
kingdom than his father had done, and to recover the same
to himself: but whilst he steered his course thitherward, he
was driven by contrary winds to the coast of Anglesey,
where he would fain have landed had not the English army
kept him off. In this skirmish Magnus accidentally wound-
ed Hugh Earl of Salop with an arrow in the face, whereof
he died;* and then both armies suddenly relinquished the
A. D. 1097. island, the English returning to England, appointing Owen

ap

* The Norwegian Prince, on seeing him fall, exultingly cried " Let him dance."—
Giraldus Cambrensis, Itin. 6, 7. Simon Dunelme, p. 223.

This accidental stroke of justice, seen by the eye of superstition, made the Welsh to
conclude that the arrow had been directed by the immediate hand of the Almighty. —
Warrington.

HISTORY OF WALES. 117

ap Edwyn, who invited them over, prince of the country.
Owen did not enjoy the principality long; for in the
beginning of the following spring, Gruffydh ap Conan and
Cadogan ap Blethyn returned -from Ireland, and having
concluded a peace with the Normans for some part of their
lands in Wales, Gruffydh remained in Anglesey, and
Cadogan had Cardigan, with part of Powys : but though
Cadogan recovered his estate, yet in a little while after he
lost his son Lhewelyn, who was treacherously murdered by
the men of Brecknock : at which time also died Rythmarch,
Archbishop of St. David, the son of Sulien, being in the
forty-third year of his age ; a man of greater piety, wisdom,
and learning than had flourished for a long period in Wales,
excepting his father, under whose tutelage he was edu-
cated. The year following, King William Rufus, as he 1098.
was hunting in the New Forest, was accidentally slain with
an arrow, which one Walter Tyrrel shot at a stag ; and his
eldest brother being then engaged in the Holy War, Henry,
his younger brother, whom in his life-time he had nomi-
nated his successor, was crowned in his stead. The same
year, Hugh Earl of Chester, Grono ap Cadogan, and Gwyn
ap Gruffydh, departed this life.

About two years after, a rebellion broke out in England ; noo.
Robert de Belesmo, the son of Roger de Montgomery
Earl of Salop, and Arnulph his brother, Earl of Pembroke,
took up arms against King Henry ; which he being informed
of, sent them a very gracious message to come before him
and declare their grievances, and the reason of their rising
up in arms against his Majesty : but the Earls, instead of
appearing in person, sent him slight and frivolous excuses,
and in the mean while made all necessary preparations for
the war, both by raising offerees and fortifying their castles
and strongholds. And to strengthen themselves the more,
they sent rich presents, and made large promises to lorwerth,
Cadogan, and Meredith, the sons of Blethyn ap Confyn, to
bring them to their side. Robert fortified four castles,
namely, Arundel, Tekinhil, Shrewsbury, and Brugge;
which last, by reason that Robert built it without the con-
sent of the king, was the chief occasion of this war ; and
Arnulph fortified his castle at Pembroke. After this, they
entered in an hostile manner into the territories of the
King of England, wasting and destroying all before them ;
and to augment their strength, Arnulph sent Gerald his
steward to Murkart King oflreland, desiring his daughter
in wedlock ; which was readily granted, with the promise
too of great succours and large supplies. King Henry, to

put

118 HISTORY OF WALES.

put a stop to their bold adventures, marched in person
against them, and, laying siege to the castle of Arundel, won
it without any great opposition ; and quickly afterwards the
pastle of Tekinhill ; but that of Brugge, by reason of the
situation of the place, and the depth of the ditch about it,
seemed to require longer time and harder service; and
therefore King Henry was advised to send privately to
lorwerth ap Blethyn, promising him great rewards if he
forsook the Earls' part and came over to him, urging to
him what mischief Roger, Earl Robert's father, and his
brother Hugh, had continually done to the Welshmen:
and to make him the more willing to accept his proposals,
he promised to give him all such lands as the Earl and his
brother had in Wales, without either tribute or homage;
which was a part of Powys, Cardigan, and half Dyved, the
other part being in the possession of William Fitz-Baldwyn.
lorwerth receiving these offers, accepted them very gladly,
and then coming to the king, he sent all his forces to Earl
Robert's lands, who, having received very strict orders,
destroyed without mercy every thing they met with ; and
what made the spoil the greater, Earl Robert, upon his
rebelling against King Henry, had caused his people to
convey all their goods to Wales for fear of the English, not
thinking how his father's memory sounded among the
Welsh. When the news of lorwerth's revolt reached the
ears of the Earl, and of Cadogan and Meredith, lorwerth's
brothers, their spirits began to faint, as despairing any
longer to oppose the king, since lorwerth, who was the
person of greatest power in Wales, had left and forsaken
them. Arnulph was gone to Ireland to fetch home his
wife, and to bring over what succour his father-in-law,
King Murkart, could afford to send him ; but he not coming
in time, some other method was to be tried, in order to
obtain aid against the English. A little before this rebel-
lion broke out, Magnus, Harold's son, landed the second
time in the Isle of Anglesey, and being kindly received by
GrufFydh ap Conan, he had leave to cut down what timber
he had need for; and so returning to the Isle of Man, which
he had got by conquest, he built there three castles, and
then sent to Ireland to have the daughter of Murkart in
marriage to his son, which being obtained, he created him
King of Man. Earl Robert hearing this, sent to Magnus
for aid against King Henry ; but receiving none, he thought
it high time to look to his own safety ; and therefore he sent
to the king, requesting that he might quietly depart the
kingdom, in case he should lay down his arms, which the

king

HISTORY OF WALES. 119

king having granted, he sailed to Normandy: and then
King Henry sent an express to his brother Arnulph, re-
quiring him either to follow his brother out of the kingdom
or to deliver himself up to his mercy ; and so Arnulph went
over also to Normandy. When the king was returned to
London, lorwerth took his brother Meredith prisoner, and
committed him to the king's custody; his other brother
Cadogan having reconciled himself beforehand, to whom
lorwerth gave Cardigan, with a part of Powys. Then
lorwerth went to London, to put the king in mind of his
promise, and the service he had done him against Earl
Robert; but the king finding that now all matters were
quiet, was deaf to all such remembrances, and instead of
promising what he had once voluntarily proposed, he, con-
trary to all rules of equity and gratitude, took away Dyfed
from lorwerth, and gave it to a knight of his own called
Saer ; and Straty wy, Cydwely, and Gwyr, he bestowed upon
Howel ap Grono, and sent lorwerth away more empty than
he came : nor was this sufficient reward for his former serv-
ices,— for the next year King Henry sent some of his council A. D. 1101.
to Shrewsbury, and cited lorwerth to appear there, under
pretence of consulting about the king's business and affairs
of those parts; but the plot was laid deeper, and when,
without any suspicion of treachery, he made his appearance,
he was, to his great surprise, attainted of high treason, and,
contrary to all right and justice, actually condemned to
perpetual imprisonment ;* the true reason of this unparaL
leled severity being, that the king feared his strength, and
was apprehensive that he would revenge the wrong and
affront he had received at his hands : and indeed well had
he reason to fear that, when he so ungratefully treated him
by whose service he had experienced such great advantages.
But the policy of princes is unaccountable ; and whether to
value an eminent person for his service, or to fear him for
his greatness, is a subject that frequently disturbs their
most settled considerations. The noblemen that were at
this time sent by the king to Shrewsbury, were Richard de
Belmersh,f who being a chief agent of Roger Montgomery
Earl of Salop, was preferred to the bishoprick of London,
and afterwards appointed by that king to be warden of the
marches, and governor of the county of Salop. With him
were joined in company, Walter Constable, the father of
Milo, Earl of Hereford, and Rayner, the king's lieutenant
in the county of Salop. About this time, as Bale writes,
the church of Menevia or St. David began to be subject to

the
* Welsh Chron. 159, 160. f Richard de Belmarsh.

120 HISTORY OF WALES.

the see of Canterbury, being always previously the metro-
politan church of all Wales.

A. D. 1102. Shortly after this, Owen ap Edwyn, who had been author
of no small mischief and disturbance to the Welsh in
moving the English against his natural prince and son-in-
law Gruffydh ap Conan, departed this life, after a tedious
and miserable sickness ; of which he was so much the less
pitied by how much he had proved an enemy and a traitor
to his native country. Edwyn was the son of Grono by his
wife Edelflede, the widow of Edmund, surnamed Ironside,
King of England ; and had the title of Tegengl ; though
the English, when they had compelled Gruffydh ap Conan
to flee to Ireland for safety, constituted him Prince of all
North Wales. After his death, Richard Fitz-Baldwyn laid
siege to and took the castle of Rydcors, and forcibly drove
Howel ap Grono, to whom King Henry had committed the
custody of it, out of the country. But Howel quickly re-
turned, and, with a high spirit of revenge, began to destroy
and burn whatsoever he could meet with, and then meeting
a party of the Normans in their return homeward, he fell
upon the flank of them with a very considerable slaughter ;
and so brought all the country to his subjection, excepting
some few garrisons and castles which would not surrender
to him. At the same time King Henry took away from
Saer the government of Dyfed, which formerly was lorwerth
ap Blethyn's, and bestowed it upon Gerald, who had been
some time Earl Arnulph's steward in those parts; and
therefore, by reason of his knowledge of the country, was in
all probability best able to take upon himself the manage-
ment of it: but the Normans in Rydcors castle being
sensible that they were not able to effect any thing against
Howel ap Grono in open field, after their accustomed man-
ner, began to put that in execution by treachery which they
could not compass by force of arms ; and that they might
make Howel a sacrifice for those Normans he had lately
slain, they could find no safer way than by corrupting one
Gwgan ap Meyric, a man in great favour and esteem with
Howel, upon the account chiefly that one of his children
was nursed by Gwgan's wife. This ungrateful villain, to
carry on his wicked intrigue the' more unsuspected, gave
Howel a very earnest invitation to his house to a merriment,
where, without any suspicion of treachery, being come, he
was welcomed with all the seeming affection and kindness
imaginable: but no sooner was he arrived, than Gwgan
gave notice thereof to the Norman garrisons ; and by break
pf day they entered the town, and coming about the house

xvhere

HISTORY OF WALES. 121

where Howel lay in bed, they presently gave a great shout.
Howel hearing the noise, suspected something of mischief,
and therefore leaping in all haste out of bed, he made to his
weapons, but could not find them, by reason that Gwgan
had conveyed them away whilst he was asleep; and 'now
being assured of treachery in the case, and finding that his
men had fled for their lives, he endeavoured all he could to
make his escape, but Gwgan and his company were too
quick for him, and so being secured they strangled him,
and delivered his body to the Normans, who having cut off
his head conveyed it to the castle of Rydcors. This most
villainous murder, so barbarously committed upon the king's
lieutenant, was not in the least taken notice of; for King
Henry was so unreasonably prejudiced in favour of the
Normans, that whatever misdemeanor, be it of never so
high a nature, was by them committed, it was presently
winked at and let pass without notice; whereas, if the
Welsh trespassed but against the least injunction of the
king's laws, they were most severely punished, which was
the cause that they afterwards stood up against the king in
their own defence, being by experience assured that he
intended, if possible, their utter destruction.

About this time Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, con-
vened a synod at London, wherein, among other injunctions
then decreed, the celibacy of the clergy was enjoined ; mar-
riage being at all times previously allowed in Britain to
those in holy orders. This new injunction created a great
deal of heat and animosity among the clergy, some approving
of it as reasonable and orthodox, others condemning it as
an innovation and contrary to the plain letter of scripture.
During these disputes between the clergy, King Henry,
being now in the fifth year of his reign, sailed over with a
great army into Normandy, where his brother Robert, to-
gether with Robert de Belesmo, Arnulph, and William
Earl of Mortaign, gave him battle ; but the king having
obtained the victory, took the duke his brother, with
William of Mortaign, prisoners, and carrying them into
England, he caused first his brother Robert's eyes to be
plucked out, and then condemned them both to perpetual
imprisonment in the castle of CardyfF. About the same A, D. 1104.
time, Meyric and GrufFydh, the sons of Trahaern ap
Caradoc, were both slain by the means of Owen ap Cadogan
ap Blethyn, whose uncle Meredith ap Blethyn, who had
been prisoner for a long time in England, now broke open
the prison, wherein he was very narrowly confined, and
returning to his own country, had his estate restored, which
afterwards he quietly enjoyed.

The

122 HISTORY OF WALES.

A. D.l 105. The next year a very dismal and calamitous accident
happening in the Low Countries, proved very incommodious
and prejudicial to the Welsh ; for a great part of Flanders
being drowned by the overflowing of the sea, the inhabit-
ants were compelled to seek for some other country to
dwell in, their own being now covered with water; and
therefore a great many being come over to England, they
requested King Henry to assign them some part of his
kingdom which was waste and void of inhabitants, where
they might settle and plant themselves. The king taking
advantage of this charitable opportunity, and being in a
manner assured that these Flemings would be a considerable
thorn in the side of the Welsh, bestowed upon them very
liberally what was not justly in his power to give, and
appointed them the country of Rhos, in Dyfed or West
Wales, where they continue to this day: but Gerald, the
king's lieutenant in those parts, was resolved to be afore-
hand with them, and rebuilt the castle of Pembroke, in a
place called Congarth Fechan; whither he removed his
1106. family and all his goods. Here a very unfortunate accident
happened to him ; for Cadwgan ap Blethyn having prepared
a sumptuous feast in the Christmas, invited all the lords to
his country house in Dyfed, and among the rest his son
Owen, who lived in Powys. This youug gentleman being
at his father's house, and hearing Nest the wife of Gerald
universally praised for her incomparable beauty, was so
smitten with the rumour that went abroad of her, that by all
means he must see the lady who was by all so much ad-
mired:* and forasmuch as Gwladys, wife to Rhys ap
Theodore, and mother to Nest, was the daughter of Ry wal-
hon ap Confyn, cousin-german to Cadwgan his father,
under pretence of friendship and relation he made bold
to pay her a visit. Finding the truth far to surpass the
fame that went of her, he returned home so inflamed with
her charms, that, not being able to keep the mastery over
himself, he went back again the same night, and being at-
tended by a company of wild, head -strong youths, they
privily entered the castle, and encompassing the chamber
where Gerald and his wife lay, they set the house on fire.
Gerald hearing a noise, would fain go out to know the
meaning of such unseasonable disturbance; but his wife,

fearing

* Nest was the sister of Gruffydh ap Rhys, had been the mistress of Henry the First,
and brought him his son, Robert of Gloucester, who was very eminent as a soldier, a
statesman, and scholar. He was the instrument of restoring his nephew, Henry, to the
throne of England, although that event took place after Gloucester's death. Geoffrey
of Monmouth dedicates to him his latin translation of Tysilio. Robert was a friend
of learning and learned men in that early age of English literature : William of Malmes-
bury, the poet and historian, was patronised by him.

HISTORY OF WALES. 123

fearing some treachery, persuaded him to make as private
an escape as he could, and then, pulling up a board in the
privy, let him go that way ; then returning to her chamber,
she assured those audacious youths that there was no body
besides herself and children there; but this not being
satisfactory, they forcibly broke in, and having searched
every the most private corner and not finding Gerald, they
took his wife and two sons, with a son and a daughter born
by a concubine, and carried them away to Powys, having
first set fire to the castle, and destroyed the country as they
went along. Cadwgan, Owen's father, hearing of the out-
rageous crime his son had committed, was exceedingly
concerned and sorry, and chiefly because hereby he was
likely to incur King Henry's great displeasure ; and there-
fore he went with all speed to Powys, and intreated his son
to send home to Gerald his wife and children, with what-
ever else he had taken away from him : but Owen was so
amorously inexorable with respect to the woman, that he
would by no means part with her; however, upon her
request, he was willing to restore Gerald his children again,
which forthwith he performed.* When Richard, Bishop of
London, whom King Henry had constituted Warden of
the Marches, and who was now at Shrewsbury, heard of
this, he sent for Ithel and Madoc, the sons of Ryryd ap
Blethyn, persons of great power and interest in Wales,
promising them very considerable rewards, besides the
government of the whole country, in case they could bring
Owen and his father Cadwgan, either dead or alive, to him,
that he might revenge that heinous affront which they had
done to the King of England. With them he joined Lhy-
warch the son of Trahaern ap Caradoc, whose two brethren
Owen had slain, and Uchtryd, the son of Edwyn ; which
four undertook to answer effectually the bishop's proposal
to them : but when they had united their forces, and began
in an hostile manner to destroy the country as they passed
along, Uchtryd sent private notice before him, requiring all
who were any way desirous of their own safety to come to
him, because no quarter was to be given to any that were
found in the country. The people being thus so oppor-
tunely forewarned, began to bethink with themselves how
they might best avoid so imminent a danger, and thereupon
some fled to Arustly, others to Melienyth, some to Strad-
tywy, and some to Dyfed ; but in this latter place they met
with cold welcome, for Gerald, who was then very busy in
exercising revenge upon that country, falling in among them,
put off a considerable number of them. The like fate

befel

* Welsh Chron. p. 164,

124 HISTORY OF WALES.

befel those who escaped to Arustly and Melienyth; for
Walter Bishop of Hereford having raised an army in defence
of the town of Caermyrdhyn, before he could come thither,
accidentally met with these straggling fugitives, and know-
ing to what country they belonged, without any further
ceremony, he fell upon them and put most of them to the
sword. They who fled to Stradtywy were kindly received
by Meredith ap Rytherch ; and such as resorted to Uchtryd
were as kindly entertained by him; and so he marched
with the rest of his confederates to Rydcors castle, it being
the general opinion that it was best to enter the country
by night, and to take Cadwgan and Owen his son by
surprise : but Uchtryd reflecting upon the difficulty of the
country, and how easily they might be entrapped by an
ambuscade, dissuaded them from any such nocturnal under-
takings, and told them that it was far more advisable to
enter the country in good order, when the light gave the
soldiers opportunity to keep and observe their ranks.
Whilst they were thus considering of the most effectual
way to carry on their purpose, Owen got a ship at Aber-
dyfi, bound for Ireland, and escaping thither, avoided the
narrow search that was the following day made for them.
When, therefore, father nor son could be found, all the
fault was laid upon Uchtryd, who had dissuaded them from
falling upon the castle unexpectedly; and, therefore, all
that his companions could do, since their escape, was to
burn and destroy the country, which they did effectually,
excepting the two sanctuaries of Lhanpadarn and Lhandewi
Brefi ; out of which, however, they took several persons
who had escaped thither, and carried them away prisoners
to their several countries : but Owen, with those who were
accessary to the burning of Rydcors castle, being fled to
Ireland, desired the favour and protection of King Murcart,
who received him very gladly, upon the account of their
former acquaintance ; for Owen, during the war betwixt the
Earls of Arundel and Chester and the Welsh, had fled to
King Murcart, and brought him very rich presents from
Wales. Cadwgan all this while lay privately in Powys;
but thinking it impossible to continue there long undis-
covered, he adjudged it his wiser way to send to King
Henry, and to declare his innocency and abhorrence of the
crime which his son had committed. The King was easily
persuaded that the old man was guiltless and wholly inno-
cent of his son's offence ; and therefore he gave him permis-
sion to remain in the country, and to enjoy the town and
lands he received by his wife, who was the daughter of a

Norman

HISTORY OF WALES. 125

Norman lord, called Pygot de Say : but his lands in Powys
were otherwise distributed; for his nephews, Madoc and
Ithel, finding what circumstances their uncle Cadwgan lay
under upon the account of his son Owen, divided betwixt
themselves such lands as he and his son possessed in Powys,
though afterwards they could never agree about the equal dis-
tribution of them. To counterbalance this, Cadwgan made
such successful application to the King of England, that,
upon paying the fine of £100, he had a grant of all his lands
in Cardigan, and a power to recall all the inhabitants who
had fled away upon the publication of the king's late order,
that no Welshman or Norman should dwell in Cardigan.
Upon information of this grant to Cadwgan, several of them
that retired to Ireland returned again privately to Wales,
and lurkingly remained with their friends ; but Owen durst
not appear in Cardigan, by reason that his father had
received that country from King Henry, upon condition
that he would never entertain nor receive his son, nor by
any means succour him either with men or money. Never-
theless, Owen came to Powys, and would fain be reconciled
to the king, and make an atonement for his late misde-
meanor, but he could find nobody that would venture to
speak in his behalf, nor make the king acquainted with his
desire and willingness to submit : and thus being hopeless
and full of despair, he could not possibly divine which way
to turn himself, till at last a very unexpected opportunity
offered him means and occasion to oppose the English.
The matter was this, there happened a difference betwixt
•Madoc ap Ryryd* and the Bishop of London, Lieutenant of
the Marches of Wales, about certain English felons whom
(being under the protection of Madoc) he would not restore
at the bishop's request. The bishop being much offended
at Madoc's denial, threatened him very severely; and
therefore to make all possible preparations against an
ensuing storm, Madoc sent to Owen, who heretofore was
his greatest enemy, desiring his help against the bishop ;
and by this means being reconciled, they took their mutual
oaths not to betray each other, and that neither should make
a separate agreement with the English without the know-
ledge and approbation of the other; and so uniting their
power, they spoiled and ravaged all the country about them,
destroying whatever they could meet with which belonged
to those they had no kindness or affection for, without the
least distinction of English or Welsh.

lorwerth ap Blethyn had been very unjustly detained in A. D. 1107.

prison
* Ap Bleddyn ap Cyuvyn.

126 HISTORY OF WALES.

prison all this time ; and now King Henry calling to mind
what hardship he laboured under, and that he committed
him to custody without any reasonable pretence, sent to
know of him what he was willing to pay for his liberty,
lorwerth being now almost ready to sink under the fatigue
of such a long imprisonment, was glad to give any thing he
was able to obtain that which he had so long in vain hoped
for ; and therefore he promised either £300 in specie, or to
the value of it in cattle and horses, for the payment of
which lorwerth and Ithel, the sons of his brother Ryryd,
were delivered for pledges.* Then the king released him
out of prison, and restored him all his lands which were
taken from him ; and of the due for his liberty, the king
bestowed £10 upon Henry, Cadwgan's son by the daughter
of Pygot de Say, the Norman. Owen and Madawc all this
while committed all the waste and destruction possible, and
cruelly annoyed both the English and Normans, and always
withdrew and retired to lorwerth's estate, which so troubled
him, by reason of the king's strict orders not to permit
Owen to come to his or Cadwgan's territories, that at length
he sent to them this positive and peremptory rebuke : —
f ' Since it hath pleased God to place us in the midst of our
enemies, and to deliver us into their hands ; and hath so
far weakened us, as that we are not able to do any thing of
our own strength; and your father Cadwgan and myself
are particularly commanded, under penalty of forfeiting
our lands and estates, not to afford you any succour or
refuge during these your rebellious practices ; therefore, as
a friend I entreat you, command you as a lord, and desire
you as a kinsman, that you come no more to mine or your
father Cadwgan's territories."

Owen and Madawc receiving such a peremptory message,
were the more enraged, and by way of malignant retribution,
did more frequently than heretofore shelter themselves in
lorwerth's country ; insomuch, that at last, since that they
would neither by threats nor intreaties desist from their
wonted courses, he was forced to gather his power and
drive them out by force of arms. Being chased out hence,
they made inroads into Uchtryd's country in Merioneth-
shire ; but Uchtryd's sons being then in Cyveilioc, and
hearing of it, they sent to the people of the country, with
positive orders to oppose and resist any offer they might
make to enter the country. The people, though wanting a
skilful commander, were resolved to do as much as lay in
their power ; and so meeting with them by the way, they

set

* Welsh Chron. pp. 165, 166,. 107, 168.

HISTORY OF WALES. 127

set upon them so furiously, that Owen and Madawc, after a
brave defence, were forced to retreat and take to their
heels; Owen fled to Cardigan to his father Cadwgan, and
Madawc to Powys. Yet all these misfortunes could not
suppress the restless spirit of Owen; for as soon as he
could rally together his scattered troops, he made divers
inroads into Dyfed, and carrying away several persons to
the ships that he had brought with him from Ireland, he
first took a ransom of them, and then listing them under
his own command, made such addition to his army, that he
ventured to set upon a town in Dyfed, belonging to the
Flemings, and having rased it to the ground, he returned to
Cardigan, having no regard as to what inconvenience might
befal his father from the king of England upon this account,
which a little afterwards fell out : for it happened that some
of Owen's men having had intelligence, that a certain bishop
called William de Brabant was upon his journey through
that country to the court of England, they laid wait for his
coming, who, without any apprehension of treachery, passing
through the country, was unexpectedly slain, he and all his
retinue.* lorwerth and Cadwgan were then at court to
speak with King Henry concerning certain business of their
own :f but whilst they discoursed with the king, in came a
Fleming, who was a brother to the deceased bishop, and
with a very loud exclamation, complained how that Owen,
Cadwgan's son, had slain his brother and the rest of his
company; and that he was succoured and entertained in
Cadwgan's country. King Henry hearing this, was wrath-
fully displeased at such outrageous barbarity, and that a
person of such quality and profession should be so treacher-
ously murdered ; and therefore he asked Cadwgan what he
could say to the matter, who answered, that what had so
unhappily fell out was done without the least knowledge or
approbation on his part, and therefore desired his Majesty
to impute all the blame and guilt of that unfortunate trans-
action to his son Owen. King Henry was so far from being
satisfied with this reply, that he told Cadwgan in a violent
passion, that since he could not prevent his son being aided
and entertained in his country, he would bestow it upon
another person, who was better able and more willing to
keep him out; and would allow him a maintenance upon
his own proper charges, upon these conditions, that he
•should not enter Wales any more without his further orders ;
and so granting him twenty days for the ordering his affairs,
he gave him liberty to retire to any part of his dominions

except
* Welsh Chron. pp. 166, 167, 168. t IbicL

128 HISTORY OF WALES.

except Wales. When Owen and Madawc were informed
how Cadwgan was treated by the king of England, and that
Cardigan, which was their chief place of refuge, was to
be given to another person, they thought that their condi-
tion by this time was desperate, and that they had better
not stay any longer in Britain; and therefore with all
speed they took shipping for Ireland, where they were sure
to be honourably entertained by King Murkart. Then
King Henry sent for Gilbert Strongbow Earl of Strygill, a
person of noted worth and valour, and one who had often
sued to the king to grant him some lands in Wales, and
bestowed upon him all the lands and inheritance of Cadwgan
ap Blethyn, in case he could conquer and bring the country
under. Gilbert very thankfully accepted the proposal, and
having drawn together all the forces he was able to raise,
he passed to Wales, and being come to Cardigan without
the least trouble or opposition, he reduced the whole coun-
try to his subjection. The first thing he did was the best
he could to secure himself in this new purchased inherit-
ance ; in order to which he erected two castles, one upon
the frontiers of North Wales, upon the mouth of the river
Ystwyth, a mile distant from Llanbadarn; the other to-
wards Dyfed, upon the river Teifi, at a place called
Dyngeraint, where, as some think, Roger Montgomery had
some time before laid the foundation of Cilgarran castle.*

Owen and Madawc were all this while in Ireland ; but
the latter being at length tired of the country, and not
willing to endure the manners and customs of the Irish,
came over to Wales, and passed to the country of his uncle
lorwerth. lorwerth being acquainted with his arrival, was
fearful lest he should suffer the same fate as his brother
Cadwgan, if he permitted his being there ; and, therefore,
without any regard to relation or consanguinity, he pre-
sently issued a proclamation, forbidding any of his subjects,
under a great penalty, to receive him, but that they should
account him an open enemy to their country, and endeavour
all they could to secure Madawc and to bring him prisoner
before him. When Madawc understood this, and that his
person was in continual danger whilst he remained there,
having drawn to him all the outlaws and villains in the
country, he kept in the rocks and mountains, devising all
the ways and means he could to be revenged upon lorwerth ;
and so made a private league and agreement with Lhywarch
ap Trahaern, who for a long time had been a mortal enemy
of lorwerth. These two associates, having intelligence

that

* Welsh Chron. p. 169.

HISTORY OF WALES. 129

that lorwerth lay one night at Caereineon,* gathered all
their strength, and came and encompassed the house at
midnight, which when lorwerth's servants perceived, they
arose and defended the house with all the might they
could ; but the assailants at last putting the house on fire,
they were glad, as many as could, to escape through the
flames, the greatest part being forced to yield, either to the
enemy's sword or the more conquering fire. lorwerth seeing
no remedy, but that he must undergo the same fate as his
men had done, chose rather to die in the presence of his
enemies with his sword in his hand, than cowardly to com-
mit his life to the flames ; and therefore rushing out with
great violence, he was received upon the points of the
enemies' spears, and being by them tossed into the flames,
he miserably perished by a double death. As soon as King
Henry heard of his death, he sent for Cadwgan to him, and
gave him all his brother's estate, being Powys-land; and
promising his son Owen his pardon, upon condition that he
would demean himself quiety and loyally hereafter, willed
him to send for him back from Ireland, f King Henry also
about this time married his natural son Robert to Mabil,
daughter and sole heir to Robert Fitz-hamon, Lord of Gla-
morgan, in whose right this Robert became Lord of Glamor-
gan, being before by the king created Earl of Gloucester,
by whom the castle of Cardiff was built.

But Madawc finding the matter nothing mended, and that
his other uncle Cadwgan, who lay under the same obliga-
tion to the King of England, ruled the country, hid himself
in the most private and inaccessible places, watching only an
opportunity to commit the like crime upon Cadwgan, and
to murder him by one treacherous way or another. And
this he effected in a little time ; for Cadwgan having reduced
the country to some sort of settlement and quietness, and
restored the courts of judicature, where he sat in person to
administer justice, came with the rest of the elders of the
country to Trallwng, now Pool,J and having begun to A. D. 1109.
build a castle, he thought to make that the constant seat
of his habitation. Madawc understanding his design, laid
in ambush for him in his way to Trallwng, and as Cadwgan
unconcernedly passed by without the least suspicion of
treachery, he suddenly set upon him, and slew him, without

allowing

* Castle Caereinion. f Welsh Chron. 170, 171.

I Welsh Pool, in Montgomeryshire.

130 HISTORY OF WALES.

allowing him any time either to fight or escape.* Then he
sent presently a message to Shrewsbury, to the Bishop of
London, the king's lieutenant in the marches, to put him in
mind of his former promises to him, when he chased Owen
out of the country ; because that the bishop, bearing an
inveterate enmity towards Cadwgan and his son Owen,
granted Madawc such lands as his brother Ithel was pos-
sessed of. But Meredith ap Blethyn, being informed of the
death of both his brothers, went in all haste to the king,
desiring of him the lands of lorwerth in Powys, which he
had lately bestowed upon Cadwgan; which the king
granted him, until such time as Owen should return from
Ireland. Owen was not long before he came over, and then
going to King Henry, he was honourably received, and had
all his father's estate restored to him ; whereupon, in grati-
tude for this signal favour, he voluntarily promised to pay
the king a considerable fine,f for the due payment of which
he gave very responsible pledges. Madawc, finding himself
left alone in the lurch, and that he had no seeming power to
bear head against the king, thought it also his wisest way to
make what reconciliation he could ; and therefore he offered
the king a very great fine if he should peaceably enjoy his
former estate, promising withal never to molest or disturb
any one that was subject to the crown of England. King
Henry, willing to bring all matters to a settled condition,
readily granted his request, and conferred upon him all he
could reasonably ask for ; only with this proviso, that, upon
his peril, he should provide for the relations of those whom
he had so basely murdered.

A. D. 1109. And thus all matters being brought to a peaceable con-
clusion in Wales, the next year Robert de Belesmo, who
had been one of the chief instruments in these Welsh
disturbances, in that great rebellion which himself, with
Roger de Montgomery Earl of Salop, and his brother,
Arnulph Earl of Pembroke, had raised against the king,
was taken prisoner by King Henry in Normandy, and
committed to perpetual imprisonment in Warham Castle.
1110. The year following, Meredith ap Blethyn detached a consi-
derable party of his men to make incursions into the country
of Lhy warch ap Trahaern ap Gwyn, who was an inveterate
enemy of himself and Owen ; because by his aid and insti-
gation Madawc was encouraged to kill his uncles lorwerth

and

* Thus died, after a variety of misfortunes, Cadwgan, the son of Bleddyn ap Cynvyn,
dignified by Camden with the title of the renowned Briton ; a prince whose valour, sense
of justice, and other milder virtues, might, in any age but this, have exempted him from
?v death so cruel and so unworthy of his character.

f Welsh Chron. p. 170,171.

HISTORY OF WALES. 131

and Cadwgan. These men, as they passed through Ma-
dawc's country, met a person in the night-time who belonged
to Madawc, who being asked where his master was, after
some pretence of ignorance, at last through fear confessed
that he was not far from that place ; therefore, lying quietly
there all night, by break of day they arose to look out their
game ; and unexpectedly surprising Madawc, they slew a
great number of his men, and took himself prisoner ; and so
carrying him to their Lord, they delivered him up, as the
greatest honour of their expedition. Meredith was not a
little proud of his prisoner, and therefore, to ingratiate
himself the more with his nephew Owen, he committed
him to safe custody, till he was sent for ; who coming
thither immediately, Meredith delivered Madawc up to
him. Owen, though he had the greatest reason for the
most cruel revenge, because both his father and uncle were
basely murdered by this Madawc, would not put him to
death, remembering the intimate friendship and oaths which
had passed betwixt them ; but to prevent him from doing
any future mischief, he pulled out his eyes, and then set him
at liberty.* Lest, however, he should be capable of any
revenge by reason of his estate and strength in the country,
Meredith and Owen thought fit to divide his lands betwixt
them; which were Carnarvon, Aber-rhiw, with the third
part of Deuthwfyr.

These home-bred disturbances being pretty well abated, A.D. nil.
a greater storm arose from abroad ; for the next year King
Henry prepared a mighty army to enter into Wales, being
provoked thereto by the request of those who enjoyed a

treat part of the Welshmen's lands, but would not be satis-
ed till they got all. For Gilbert Strongbow, Earl of
Strygill, upon whom the king had bestowed Cardigan,
made great complaints of Owen ap Cadwgan, declaring that
he received and entertained such persons as spoiled and
robbed in his country, and Hugh Earl of Chester made the
like of Gruflfydh ap Conan, Prince of North Wales, that his
subjects and the men of Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn, Lord
of Tegengl, unreproved, wasted and burnt the country of
Cheshire ; and to aggravate the matter, he added further,
that Gruffydh neither did any service, nor paid any tribute
to the king. Upon these complaints, King Henry was so
much enraged that he swore he would not leave one living
creature remaining in North Wales and Powys-land, but
that he would utterly extirpate the present race of people,

K 2 and

* Welsh Chron. 172. — Incidents like these, arising from the collision of contending
•parties, present, in sanguinary tints, a lively picture of barbarism.

132 HISTORY OF WALES.

and would plant a colony of new inhabitants. Then, divid-
ing his army into three parts, he delivered one to the conduct
of the Earl of Strygill, to go against South Wales, which
comprehended the whole power of the fourth part of Eng-
land and Cornwall ; the next division was designed against
North Wales, in which was all the strength of Scotland and
the North, and was commanded by Alexander King of the
Scots and Hugh Earl of Chester ; the third the king led
himself against Powys, and in this was contained the whole
strength of the middle part of England. Meredith ap
Blethyn hearing of these mighty preparations, and being
informed that this vast army was designed against Wales,
was apprehensive that the Welsh were not able to make any
great defence, and therefore thought it his safest way to
provide for himself beforehand, and so coming to the king,
yielded himself up to his mercy. But Owen, fearing to
commit himself to those whom he knew so greedily coveted
his estate, and whom he was assured were far more desirous
to dispossess the Welsh of their lands than in any other way
to punish them for former crimes and miscarriages, fled to
Gruffydh ap Conan in North Wales. Upon that King
Henry converted his whole force that way, and came himself
as far as Murcastelh, and the Scotch king to Pennant
Bachwy, but the people flying to the mountains carried
with them all the cattle and provision they had, so that the
English could not follow them, and as many as attempted to
come at them were either slain or wounded in the streights.
Alexander King of the Scots finding that nothing could
possibly be effected against the Welsh as long as they kept
to the rocks and mountains, sent to Prince Gruffydh, ad-
vising him to submit himself to the king, promising him all
his interest to obtain an honourable peace : but the prince
was too well acquainted with English promises, and there-
fore refused his proposals ; and so King Henry, being very
unwilling to return without doing something in this expe-
dition, sent to Owen to forsake the prince, who was not
able to defend himself, but was ready to strike a peace
with the Scottish king and the Earl of Chester. This
cunning insinuation, however, did not take effect, for Owen
was as distrustful of King Henry as Prince GrufFydh, and
therefore he would hearken to no intreaties to revolt from
him who had so long afforded him refuge ; till at length his
uncle Meredith, an old insinuating politician, persuaded
him, with much ado, not to neglect the king of England's
proposals, who offered him all his lands without tribute, in
case he would come to his side ; and Meredith advised him

instantly

HISTORY OF WALES. 133

instantly to accept of his offer, before Prince Gruffydh made
a peace with the king, which if it was once done, he would
be glad upon any score to purchase the king's mercy.
Owen being prevailed upon by such arguments, came to the
king, who received him very graciously, and told him, that
because he believed his promise, he would not only perform
that, but likewise exalt him above any of his kindred, and
grant him his lands free from any payment of tribute.
Prince Gruffydh perceiving that Owen submitted to the
king, thought it also his wisest way to sue for peace ; and so
promising the king a great sum of money, a peace was then
actually agreed upon and confirmed, which the king of Eng-
land was the more ready to consent to, because he found it
impossible to do him any hurt whilst he continued encamped
in that place. Some affirm that the submission, as well of
Prince Gruffydh as of Owen, was procured by the policy of
Meredith ap Blethyn and the Earl of Chester; this last
working with Gruffydh, and assuring him that Owen had
made his peace with the king before any such thing was in
agitation, so that the prince yielding somewhat to the earl's
request, if Owen had gone contrary to the oath which they
had mutually taken, not to make any peace with the English
without one another's knowledge, seemed to incline to a
peace. On the other hand, Meredith going to his nephew
Owen, affirmed for truth that the prince and the Earl of
Chester were actually agreed, and the prince was on his
journey to the king to make his submission. In the mean-
while Meredith took especial care that all messengers
betwixt the prince and Owen should be intercepted, and by
that means Owen submitted himself to the king.

King Henry having thus completed all his business in
Wales, called Owen to him, and told him that in case he
would go over with him to Normandy, and there be faithful
to him, he would upon his return confirm all his promises
upon him. Owen accepted the king's offer, and went with
him to Normandy, where he behaved himself so gallantly,
that he was made a knight ; and after his return the year
following, he had all his lands and estate confirmed unto
him. About the same time Griffri bishop of St. David's A. D. 11 12.
died, and King Henry appointed to succeed him one Bar-
nard a Norman, much against the good-will and inclination
of the Welsh, who before this time were ever used to elect
their own bishop. This year the rumour of Gruffydh, son
to Rhys ap Theodore, was spread throughout South Wales,
who, as the report went, for fear of the king, had been from
a child brought up in Ireland, and having come over about

two

134 HISTORY OF WALES.

two years before, passed his time privately among his re-
lations, particularly with Gerald, Steward of Pembroke, his
brother-in-law. The noise of a new prince being spread
abroad, it came at last to the ears of the King of England,
that a certain person had appeared in Wales, who pretended
to be the son of Rhys ap Theodore, late Prince of South
Wales, and laid claim to that principality, which was now in
the king's hands. King Henry being somewhat concerned
with such a report, and fearing lest this new rival should
create him some greater trouble, he thought to nip him in
the bud, and sent down orders to apprehend him : but
Gruffydh ap Rhys being aware of the traps laid against him,
sent to Gruffydh ap Gonan, Prince of South Wales, desiring
his assistance, and that he might have liberty to remain safe
in his country, which Gruffydh, for his father's account,
readily granted, and treated him honourably. A little after,
his brother Howel, who was imprisoned by Arnulph Earl
of Pembroke in the castle of Montgomery, where he had
remained for a long time, made his escape and fled to his
brother, then with Gruffydh ap Conan in North Wales ;
but King Henry being informed that Gruffydh ap Rhys and
his brother Howel were entertained by the Prince of North
Wales, sent very smooth letters to Gruffydh ap Conan,
desiring to speak with him, who being come, he received
him with all the tokens of honour and friendship, and
bestowed upon him very rich presents, as was the Norman
policy, who usually made very much of those whom they
designed afterwards to be serviceable to them. After some
general discourse, King Henry came at length to the main
point, and promised the prince immense sums if he would
send Gruffydh ap Rhys or his head to him, which the
prince, overcome by such fair words and large promises,
engaged to perform, and so returned joyfully home, big
with the expectation of his future reward.* Some persons,
however, who wished better to Gruffydh ap Rhys and his
brother Howel, suspected the occasion of the king's message,
and therefore they advised them to withdraw themselves
privately for some time, till Prince Gruffydh's mind should
be better understood, and till it should be known whether
he had made any agreement with the king of England to
betray them to him. As soon as the prince was returned to
his palace at Aberffraw, he enquired for Gruffydh ap Rhys,
and learning in a little time where he was, he sent a troop of
horse to recall him to his court, but Gruffydh hearing of
their approach, with all speed made his escape to the

church
* Welsh Chron. 176.

HISTORY OF WALES. 135

church of Aberdaron, and took sanctuary there.* But the
Prince was so determined to make his promise good to the
King of England, that without any respect to the religious
place Gruffydd ap Rhys had escaped to, he commanded the
same messengers to return, and to bring him away by force,
which the clergy of the country unanimously withstood,
protesting that they would not see the liberties of the church
in the least infringed. Whilst the clergy and the prince's
officers were thus at debate, some who had compassion upon
the young prince, seeing how greedily his life was thirsted
for, conveyed him out of North Wales to Straty wy in South
Wales ; and thus being delivered from the treacherous arid
more dishonourable practices of the Prince of North Wales,
he was forced for the protection of his own life to bid open
defiance to the King of England, and thereupon having
raised all the forces which the shortness of the opportunity
would permit, he made war upon the Flemings and Nor-
mans.f

The next year he laid siege to the castle which stood over A. D. 1113.
against Arberth, and winning the same, levelled it with the
ground, and from thence marched to Lhanymdhyfry castle,
belonging to Richard de Pwns, upon whom the King had
bestowed Cantref Byehan, but the garrison commanded by
Meredith ap Rhytherch ap Caradoc so manfully defended it,
that Gruffydh after killing only some few of the besieged,
and burning the outworks, was forced to remove with no
small loss of his own men. Finding this place impregnable,
he came before Abertawy castle, which was built by Henry
Beaumont, Earl of Warwick, but this proving too strong to
be quickly surrendered, after he had burnt some of the out-
ward buildings, he returned to Stratywy, burning and
destroying all the country as he went along. His fame
being now spread abroad throughout .the country, all
the wild and head-strong youths, and all those persons
whose fortunes were desperate, resorted unto him from all
parts, by which means his forces becoming strong and
numerous, he made inroads into Rhos and Dyfed, spoiling
and destroying the country before him. The Normans and
Flemings were greatly enraged with these continual depre-
dations, but how to remedy this mischief was not easily
determined; after along consultation, however, they thought
it the best way to call together such Welsh lords .as were
friends to the king of England, as Owen ap Rhytherch, and
Rhytherch ap Theodore, with his sons Meredith and Owen,

whose

* A privileged place in the present county of Carnarvon.— Welsh Chron- 176.

f Ibid.

136 HISTORY OF WALES.

whose mother was Heynyth the daughter of Blethyn ap
Confyn, and Owen ap Caradoc the son of Gwenlhian,
another daughter of Blethyn, and Meredith ap Rhytherch.
These declaring their loyalty and fidelity to King Henry,
were desired to defend the king's castle of Carmardhyn, and
that by turns; Owen ap Caradoc the first fortnight, and
then by succession by Rhytherch ap Theodore and Mere-
dith ap Rhytherch. Owen undertook the defence of Car-
mardhyn castle for the time required of him, and Blethyn ap
Cadifor had committed to him the government of Abercomyn
or Abercorran castle, which appertained to Robert Court-
main ; but for all these preparations, Gruffydh ap Rhys had
a wishful eye upon Carmardhyn, and therefore he sent out
some spies to learn the strength and condition of the town,
who bringing him a very flattering account, he marched by
night, and rushing suddenly into the town, ordered his men
to make a great shout, thereby to strike a terror into those
within. Owen ap Caradoc the governor, being surprised by
such an unexpected uproar, made all possible haste to the
place where he had heard the shouting, and thinking that
his men were at his heels, fell in among the enemy; but
having none to support him, his men being all fled, he was
after a manful defence cut in pieces ; and so the town being
taken, Gruffydh burnt every thing to the ground, excepting
the castle, which was also much defaced ; and then return-
ing with a great deal of spoil and booty to his usual residence
Stratywy, his forces were considerably increased by the
accession of many young men, who came to him from all
quarters, and thought that fortune so prospered his arms,
that no body was able to stand before him. After this he
marched to Gwyr, but William de Londres thinking it im-
possible to contend with him, forsook the castle with all his
men in all haste, so that when Gruflfydh was come thither,
he found a great deal of cattle and spoil, and none to own
them, and therefore he burnt down the castle, and carried
away every thing of value in the country. When the Car-
diganshire men heard how fortunately he succeeded in all
his attempts, and being extremely fearful lest his next ex-
pedition should be against them, they sent to him, desiring
him, as being their near relation and countryman, to take
upon him the rule and government over them. GrufFydh
willingly accepted of their offer, and coming thither, wras
joyfully received by the chief men in the country, who were
Cadifor ap Grono, Howel ap Dinerth, and Trahaern ap
Ithel, which three persons had forsaken Dyfed, by reason
that it was so much burdened with Normans, Flemings, and

Englishmen.

HISTORY OF WALES. 137

Englishmen. Nor was Cardigan free from strangers, who
pretended to rule the country, but the people bearing in
mind the continual wrong and oppression they received from
them, imbibed an inveterate hatred to them, and were very
glad to be delivered from their insolent and imperious
oppressors: for King Henry, either by force and banish-
ment of those that stood up for their liberty, or by corrupt-
ing those that were wavering, had brought all that country
to his subjection, and bestowed what lands he thought fit
upon his English or Norman favourites. Notwithstanding
the strength of the English in this country, Gruffydh was
not in the least cast down, but boldly coming on to Cardigan
Iscoed, he laid siege to a fort that Earl Gilbert and the
Flemings had built at a place called Blaen Forth Gwythan.
After divers assaults, and the killing of several of the
besieged, with the loss only of one of his men, Gruffydh
took the' place, and razing it to the ground, brought all the
country thereabouts to subjection. This action proved
very fatal to the English ; for immediately upon this, they
began to forsake their houses and habitations, thinking it
dangerous for them to stay any longer in the country ; and
so the Welsh burnt or otherwise destroyed as far as Pen-
wedic all the houses of those strangers whom Earl Gilbert
had brought with him. Then Gruffydh besieged the castle
of Stradpeithyll, which belonged to Ralph, Earl Gilbert's
steward, and having made himself master of it, he put all
the garrison to the sword. Removing from thence, he en-
camped at Glasgryg, a mile from Lhanbadarn, purposing to
besiege Aberystwith castle next morning, but for want of
provision necessary for his army, he deemed it expedient to
take some cattle which grazed within the limits of the sanc-
tuary.* Here it may be observed, that not only men
enjoyed the privilege of these sanctuaries, but also cattle
and horses, and whatever else lived within the liberties of
them. The day following, Gruffydh marched in a dis-
orderly manner towards the castle, not being apprehensive
of any material opposition, because he was ignorant of the
number of the garrison ; and encamping upon an opposite
hill, which was divided from the castle by a river, with a
bridge over it, he called a council to determine with what
engines they might with best success play against it, and so
make a general assault. The Normans observing their dis-r
order, very cunningly sent out some of their archers to
skirmish with them, and so by degrees entice them to the
bridge, where some of the best armed horsemen were ready

to
* Wekh Chron. p. 179.

138 HISTORY OF WALES.

to issue out upon them. The Welsh not thinking the garri-
son so strong, approached near the bridge, still skirmishing
with the Normans, who pretended to give way ; but when
they came very near, out sallied one on horseback, who
would fain pass the bridge; but being received upon the
points of their spears, he began to flag, and as he en-
deavoured to return, he fell off his horse, and so the Welsh
pursued him over the bridge. The Englishmen seeing this,
fled towards the castle, and the Welsh with all speed fol-
lowed them to the top of the hill ; but whilst they thought
that the day was their own, a party of horse which lay in
ambuscade under the hill rose up, and standing betwixt the
Welsh and the bridge, prevented any succour coming to
them ; and the Welsh being thus hemmed in betwixt both
parties, the former recoiling with greater strength, were so
unmercifully cut off, that scarce one man was left living.
When the rest of the Welsh army, that staid on the other
side of the river, saw what number the garrison contained,
and that they were strong beyond their expectation, they
presently decamped, and with all speed departed out of the
country.*

When King Henry was informed of all the mischief and
cruelties that Gruflfydh ap Rhys had committed among his
subjects in Wales, he sent for Owen ap Cadwgan, desiring
him and Lhywarch ap Trahaern to use all effectual methods
to take or kill the arch-rebel Gruffydh, promising to send
his son Robert immediately with an army to Wales for that
purpose. Owen being very proud that the king put such
confidence in him, encouraged his men to be now as in-
dustrious to merit the king's favour, as they had been
formerly to deserve his displeasure; and so joining his
forces with Lhywarch, they both marched to meet Prince
Robertf at Stratywy, where they supposed Gruffydh ap
Rhys had hid himself in the woods. When they were come
to the frontiers of the country, they made a vow, that they
would let neither man, woman, nor child escape alive ;
which so affrighted the people of the country, that all made
what haste they could to save their lives, some by fleeing
to the woods and mountains, and some by getting into the
king's castles, from whence they had come but a little
before. Then Owen and Lhywarch separated with distinct
parties to scour the woods, which about Stratywy were very
thick and secluded. Owen having entered with an hundred
men, discovered the track of men and cattle, and followed

their

* Welsh Chron. 180.
t Earl of Gloucester, the natural son of Henry, by Nest, his late concubine.

HISTORY OF WALES. 139

their footsteps so close, that within a little while he overtook
them ; and having slain a great many of them, and put the
rest to flight, he carried away all their cattle back to his
army.

But whilst Owen was busy in searching the woods,
Gerald, Steward of Pembroke Castle, who with a great
number of Flemings was upon his march to join the king's
son, met with them who fled from Owen; who desiring
help of Gerald, declared how Owen had forcibly drove
them out, slain a great many of their companions, and spoiled
them of all their goods. Gerald and his Flemings under-
standing that Owen was so nigh with such a small number
of men, thought he had now very convenient opportunity to
be revenged of him upon the account of his wife; and,
therefore, to make sure work with him, he pursued him
close into the woods. Owen being forewarned by his men
that a great number followed him, and advised to make all
speed to get away, was deaf to all such counsels, as thinking
that they of whom his men were so much afraid of, were the
king's friends, and therefore their integrity need not be
questioned, since they had all respect to one common cause :
but he found that a private quarrel is sometimes more
regarded than the public good ; and, therefore, when
Gerald was advanced within bowshot, he greeted him with a
volley of arrows, to shew how great a friend he was ; but
Owen, though persuaded to flee, was so little terrified at
such an unwelcome salutation, that, notwithstanding the
enemy were seven to one, yet he told them, that they were
but Flemings, and such as always trembled at the hearing
of his name. Then falling on with a great deal of courage,
he was at the first onset struck with an arrow into the heart,
of which wound he presently died ; which when his men
saw they all fled, and brought word to Lhywarch and the
rest of their fellows of what had happened ; and so suspect-
ing the king's army, seeing they could not be trusted in
their service, they all returned to their respective coun-
tries.*

Owen being in this manner unhappily slain, his brethren
divided his lands betwixt them ; excepting Caereineon,
which properly belonged to Madawc ap Ryryd ap Blethyn :
and which he had forcibly taken away from his uncle
Meredith. His father Cadwgan had several children by
different women ; and, besides Owen, he had issue Madawc,
by Gwenlhian, the daughter of Gruflfydh ap Conan; Eineon,

by

* Welsh Chron. 182.— « In this manner," says Warrington, « died, suitable to thf
tenor of his life, this bold and profligate chieftain."

140 HISTORY OF WALES.

by Sanna, the daughter of Dyfnwal ; Morgan, by Efelhiw
or Elhiw, the daughter of Cadifor ap Colhoyn, Lord of
Dyfed ; Henry and GrufFydh were by the daughter of the
Lord Pigot, his wedded wife ; Meredith, by Euroron
Hoodliw ; and Owen, by Inerth, the daughter of Edwyn.
Some time afterwards, Eineon ap Cadwgan and Gruffydh
ap Meredith ap Blethyn, besieged the castle of Cymmer, in
Merionethshire, which was lately built by Uchtryd ap
Edwyn; for Cadwgan had bestowed upon Uchtryd, his
cousin-german, Merioneth and Cyfeilioc, upon condition,
that in all cases he should appear his friend, and his sons
after him ; contrary to which promise he bore no manner of
regard to Cadwgan's children after Owen's death ; but to
strengthen himself the better, he erected this castle of
Cymmer, which very much displeased many of Cadwgan's
sons ; and therefore Eineon and GrufFydh, to make Uchtryd
sensible of his error in despising them, attacked Cymmer
Castle, and having slain divers of the garrison, the rest
surrendered themselves ; and so taking the possession of it,
they divided the country betwixt them: Mowdhwy, Cy-
feilioc, and half Penlhyn to GrufFydh ap Meredith ; and
the other half of Penlhyn, with all Merioneth, to Eineon.

The next year King Henry sailed with a great army into
Normandy, against the French king, who with the Earl of
Flanders and others attempted to make William, the son of
Robert Curthoise, Duke of Normandy ; but at the ap-
pearance of the King of England, they all dispersed and
laid aside their intended design. About the same time
Gilbert Strongbow, Earl of Strygill, to whom King Henry
had given all Cardigan, departed this life, after being long
ill of a consumption, much to the joy and satisfaction of the
Welsh, who were much displeased that they should be
deprived of their own natural Lord Cadwgan, from whom
this country was taken, and be forced to serve a stranger,
whose kindness they had no reason to expect. The year
A. D. 1115. following, an irreconcileable quarrel happened betwixt
Howel ap Ithel, Lord of Ros and Ryfonioc, now Denbigh-
land, and Riryd and Lhywarch the sons of Owen ap
Edwyn ; and when they could not otherwise agree, they
broke out into an open war. Thereupon Howel sent to
Meredith ap Blethyn, and to Eineon and Madawc,
Cadwgan's sons, who came down from Merioneth with a
party of four hundred well-disciplined men, and encamped
in DyfFryn Clwyd. Riryd and Lhywarch, on the other
hand, desired the assistance of their cousins, the sons of
Uchtryd ; and both armies meeting in the Vale of Clwyd,

they

HISTORY OF WALES. 141

they attacked each other with much spirit and alacrity, and
after a tedious and a bloody fight, Lhywarch, Owen ap
Edwyn's son, was slain, and with him lorwerth, the son of
Nudh, a noble and a valorous person; and Riryd was
forced to make his escape by flight : but though Howel
obtained the victory, yet he did not long survive his fallen
enemies; for having received a desperate wound in the
action, he died of it within forty days ; and then Meredith
ap Blethyn, and the sons of Cadwgan, finding it dangerous
to stay longer there, for fear of some French, who lay gar-
risoned in Chester, returned home with all speed.

King Henry was still in Normandy; and about this A. D. 1116.
time, a very great battle was fought betwixt him and the
French king, who was completely vanquished and over-
thrown, and had a great number of his nobles taken
prisoners : but as King Henry returned the following 1117t
year for England, one of the ships happened, by the
negligence of the pilot, to be cast away, wherein perished
the king's two sons, William, who was legitimate and heir
apparent to the crown, and Richard, his base son, together
with his daughter and niece, and several others of his
nobility, to the number in all of one hundred and fifty
persons. This unparalleled loss of so many kindred and
friends did not perplex his mind so long, but that within a
short time, he began to solace and raise his drooping
spirits with the thoughts of a new wife ; and, having mar-
ried Adelice, the daughter of the Duke of Lovain, he ills.
purposed to go against Wales ; and having prepared his
forces, he led them in person to Powys-land.

When Meredith ap Blethyn, and Eineon, Madawc, and
Morgan, the sons of Cadwgan, and lords of the country,
heard of it, they sent to Gruffydh ap Conan, Prince of
North Wales, desiring some help at his hands ; who flatly
refused, assuring them, that because he was at peace with
the King of England, he could neither with honour nor
safety send them any succour, nor permit them to come
within his dominions. The lords of Powys receiving this
unwelcome answer, and having no hope of any aid, were
resolved to defend themselves as well as they could ; and,
therefore, they thought the most effectual means to annoy
the enemy, and to keep them from entering into the country,
was to watch and defend the straits by which the enemy
must of necessity pass. Nor were they wrong in their
policy ; for it happened that the king himself, with a small
number, advanced to one of these narrow passages, the rest
of the army, by reason of their carriages having taken some

compass

142 HISTORY OF WALES.

compass about ; which the Welsh perceiving, presently
poured a shower of arrows upon them, and the advantage of
the ground giving help to their execution, they slew and
wounded a great many of the English. The king himself
was struck in the breast, but the arrow did not hurt him, by
reason of his armour,* yet he was so terrified with this un-
expected conflict, and considering with himself, that he
must receive several such brushes before he could advance
to the plain country : and what was above all, being sensible
that by such a rash misfortune he might lose all the honour
and fame which he had before obtained, sent a message to
parley with them who kept the passage, and with all as-
surance of safety, to desire them to come to the king. The
Welsh being come, and questioned how they had such
confidence to oppose the king, and to put his life in so
much danger, made answer, that they belonged to Meredith
ap Blethyn, and according to their master's orders they
were resolved to keep the passage, or to die upon the spot.
The king finding them so resolute, desired them to go to
Meredith and propose to him an agreement of peace, which
he and his cousins, the sons of Cadwgan, accepted of; and
promised to pay the king 10,000 head of cattle, in retri-
bution for former offences. And so King Henry leaving all
things in a peaceable and quiet posture in Wales, and ap-
pointing the Lord Fitz-Warren warden or lieutenant of the
Marches, returned to England. f

A.D. 1120. When a foreign enemy was removed out of the country,
the Welsh could never forbear quarrelling with each other ;
and now Gruffydh ap Rhys ap Theodore, who had been for
some time quiet, fell upon Gruffydh ap Sulhaern, and for
some reason not discovered, treacherously slew him. The
1121. next year there happened another occasion of disturbances
and falling out among the Welsh ; for Eineon, the son of
Cadwgan dying, left all his share of Powys and Merioneth
to his brother Meredith. But his uncle Meredith ap
Blethyn, thinking that these lands more properly belonged
to him, ejected his nephew Meredith, to whom his brother
Eineon had left them, and took possession of them himself.
To augment these differences, King Henry set now at liberty
Ithel ap Riryd ap Blethyn, Meredith's nephew, who had
been for a long time detained in prison ; and, who coming
to his own country, was in expectation to enjoy his estate,

which,

* Stowe's Chron. p. 140.— Welsh Chron. p. 185.

It was uncertain from whence this stroke proceeded ; but Henry, the instant he felt it,
swore " by the death of our Lord," his usual oath, that the arrow came not from a Welsh
but an English bow. — William Malmsbury, p. 158, Frankfort edit. ; Baker's Chron. p. 40.
t Welsh Chron. pp. 185, 186, 187.— Wm. Malmsbury, p. 159.

HISTORY OF WALES. 143

which, upon his being put in custody, his relations had
divided betwixt them ; of which, the greatest share fell to
his uncle Meredith : but when GrufFydh ap Conan was
informed that Meredith ap Blethyn, contrary to all justice,
had taken away by force the lands of his nephew Meredith
ap Cadwgan, he sent his sons Cadwalhon and Owen with an
army into Merioneth, who conquering and bringing to
subjection all the country, carried away the chief of the
people and all the cattle to Lhyn : and at the same time the
sons of Cadwgan entered into the lands of Lhywarch ap
Trahaern, and cruelly wasted and destroyed it, because he
had countenanced the doings of their uncle Meredith ap
Blethyn. These inward clashings and animosities concern-
ing estates and titles, were seconded by most unnatural
bloodshed and unparalleled cruelties ; for Meredith ap
Blethyn, when he found that his nephew Meredith ap
Cadwgan was assisted by the Prince of North Wales, and
that it was impracticable to keep Merioneth from him, he
was resolved to practise that upon his nephew, which he
had failed to effect upon another: and, therefore, lest his A. D. 1122.
other nephew Ithel ap Riryd should meet with the like help
and encouragement to recover those lands, which during his
imprisonment were taken from him, and of which his uncle
actually enjoyed a considerable share ; Meredith thought
he would prevent all disputes, by sending Ithel out of the
world, which, upon mature deliberation, he treacherously
effected. Nor was this the only murder committed at this
time; for Cadwalhon, the son of GrufFydh ap Conan, ex-
ceeded him far for guilt, and slew his three uncles, Grono,
Ryryd, and Meilyr, the sons of Owen ap Edwyn ; and, what
was most unnatural of all, Morgan ap Cadwgan with his
own hands killed his brother Meredith, a crime most exe-
crable, though he did afterwards repent of it.

Not long after this, GrufFydh ap Rhys, by the false and 1124.
invidious accusations of the Normans, was dispossessed of
all the lands which King Henry had formerly granted him,
and which he had for a considerable time peaceably enjoyed.*
Towards the end of the same year died Daniel ap Sulgien,
Bishop of St. David's, and Archdeacon of Powys, a man of
extraordinary piety and learning, and one who made it his
continual employment to endeavour to work a reconciliation
betwixt North Wales and Powys, which in his time were
continually at variance and enmity with one another. The
next year died GrufFydh, the son of Meredith ap Blethyn ;f U25.

and

* Welsh Chron. 187.

, f Welsh Chron. 188. — Having forsaken the interests of his native country, had long
become a subject of the King of England — Ibid.

144 HISTORY OF WALES.

and about the same time Owen ap Cadwgan, having got
into his hands Meredith ap Llywarch, delivered him to
Pain Fitz-John, to be kept safe prisoner in the castle of
Bridgnorth. The reason of this was, because Meredith had
slain Meyric, his cousin-german, and very barbarously had
pulled out the eyes of two more of his cousins, the sons of
Griffri. This cruel and inhuman custom of plucking out
the eyes of such as they hated or feared was too frequent ly
A.D. 1126. practised in Wales; for the following year levaf the son of
Owen served two of his brethren after this unnatural man-
ner, and thinking that too little, passed a sentence of perpe-
tual banishment upon them. A little after, his brother
Lhewelyn ap Owen slew lorwerth ap Lhywarch ; but all
this mischief practised by these two brothers levaf and
Lhewelyn, recoiled at last upon themselves ; for their uncle
Meredith ap Blethyn, being apprehensive that his two
nephews were much in his way, and that if they were put
aside, all their estate would of right fall to him, he slew
levaf outright, and having plucked out Lhewelyn's eyes,
castrated him, for fear he should beget any children to
inherit his lands after him. These, no doubt, were bar-
barous times, when for the least offence, nay sometimes
suspicion, murder was so openly and incorrigibly commit-
ted ; which must of necessity be attributed to this one evil,
That so many petty states having equal power and authority
in their own territories, and being subject to none but the
king of England, still endeavoured to outvie and overtop
each other : hence nearness of relation giving way to ambi-
tion, they never regarded those of the same blood, so that
themselves might add to their strength, and increase their
estate by their fall ; and for this reason Meyric slew Lhy-
warch, and his son Madawc his own cousins, but before he
could make any advantage by their death, he was himself
served after the same manner. The only person who after-
wards repented of such a foul crime, was Morgan ap
Cadwgan, who being severely troubled in mind for the
murder he had lately committed upon his brother Meredith,
took a journey to Jerusalem to expiate his crime, and in his
return from thence died in the island of Cyprus. This
treacherous way of privately murdering those by whom they
1129. were offended, was prevalent among the Welsh ; for Eineon
the son of Owen ap Edwyn, remembering that Cadwalhon
the son of Gruffydh ap Conan had basely slain three of his
brothers, and taking the opportunity of his being at Nan-
hewdwy, he, assisted by Cadwgan ap Grono ap Edwyn, set
upon him and slew him. About the same time, that great

usurper

HISTORY OF WALES. 145

usurper Meredith a]) Bletbyn ap Confyn, who, by the most
unnatural and horrid practices, had got the lands of all liJs
brothers and nephews, and by that means was become a
man of the greatest strength and sway in Powys, died of a
fit of sickness, which had reduced him to such an appre-
hension of the consequences of his former misdeeds, that he
did penance as an expiation of his guilt.

In the year 1 134, till which time nothing of moment was A.D. 1134.
transacted in Wales, Henry, the first of that name, King of
England, died in Normandy in the month of October ; after
whom Stephen Earl of Buloign, son to the Earl of Blois,
his sister's son, by the means of Hugh Bygod, was crowned
king by the Archbishop of Canterbury, all the nobility of
England consenting thereto; though contrary to a former
oath they had taken to Maud the Empress. The first
thing that employed his thoughts after his accession to the
government, was against David King of the Scots ; who
taking advantage of this new revolution in England, by
some treacherous means or other, got the towns of Carlisle
and Newcastle into his hands : but King Stephen, though
scarcely settled in his throne, presently marched towards
the North; of whose coming David being assured, and
fearing to meet him, voluntarily restored Newcastle, and com-
pounded for Carlisle ; but would not swear to him by reason
of his oath to Maud ; which, however, his son did not scruple
to do ; and thereupon was by King Stephen created Earl of
Huntingdon. This alteration of affairs in England made 1135.
also the Welsh bestir themselves ; for Morgan ap Owen, a
man of considerable quality and estate in Wales, remember-
ing the wrong and injury he had received at the hands of
Richard Fitz-Gilbert, slew him, together with his son
Gilbert. And shortly after this, Cadwalader and Owen
Gwyneth, the sons of Gruflfydh ap Conan Prince of North
Wales, having raised a mighty army, marched against the
Normans and Flemings, and, coming to Cardigan,* com-
mitted very considerable waste ami havock in the country,
and took two of the strongest places, one belonging to
Walter Espec,f and the castle of Aberystwyth. In this
last place they were joined by Howel ap Meredith and
Rhys ap Madawc ap Ednerth; who, marching forward,
took the castle of Richard de la Mare, together with those
of Dinerth and Caerwedros, and then returned with very

valuable

* Welsh Chron. p. 189.

f He built the castle called Catted Gwalter, in the parish of Llanfihangel Genau
Glyn. It was destroyed in (he year 1135, by Cadwaladyr and Owain Gwynedd.

146 HISTORY OF WALES.

valuable booty. Having succeeded so well in this expedi-
tion, they could not rest satisfied till they had delivered the
whole country from the intolerable pride and oppression of
the Normans and Flemings ; and, therefore, returning the
same year to Cardigan with 6000 foot and 2000 horse,
well disciplined and experienced soldiers ; and being joined
by Gruffydh ap Rhys and Howel ap Meredith of Brecknock
with his sons, and Madawc ap Ednerth, they over-ran the
country as far as Aberteifi, restoring all the former inhabit-
ants to their proper inheritances, and discarding all such
strangers as the late Earl of Strygil had placed in the
country. But when Stephen, who was governor of Aber-
teifi, saw that, he called to him Robert Fitz-Martyn, the
sons of Gerald, and William Fitz- John, with all the strength
of the Normans, Flemings, and English in Wales or the
Marches, and, meeting with the Welsh betwixt Aber Nedd
and Aber Dyfi, gave them battle. After a very fierce and
bloody encounter, the English began to give ground, and,
according to their usual manner, trusting too much to the
strength of their towns and fortifications, began to look how
to save themselves that way ; but the Welsh pressed upon
them so hard, that they killed above 3000 men, besides
several that were drowned, and many were taken prisoners.
This victory being obtained, Cadwalader and Owen over-
ran the whole country, forcing all the Normans and
Flemings to depart the country with all speed, and placing
in their room those miserable Welsh who had been so long
deprived and kept from their own estates; and after they
had thus cleared the country of their insatiable invaders,
they returned to North Wales, laden with very rich spoils
and acceptable plunder.* The king of England was not in
a condition to take cognizance of the extremities his sub-
jects were reduced to in Wales, because his own nobles
of England were risen in arms against him ; the reason of
which tumult among the nobility was occasioned by a falla-
cious report that had been spread of the king's death, who
then lay sick of a lethargy. They that bore him no good-
will spread the rumour as much as they could, and stirred
up the common people in behalf of the Empress ; whereas
on the other hand the king's friends betook themselves to
castles and strongholds for fear of the Empress, and among
others Hugh Bygod secured the castle of Norwich, and
after he was assured that the king was well again, he was
loth to deliver the same out of his possession, unless it were
A. D. 1137. to the king's own hands. During these commotions and

troubles

* Welsh Chron. p. 189.

HISTORY OF WALES. 147

troubles in England, Gruffydh ap Rhys, son to Rhys ap
Theodore, the right heir to the principality of South Wales,
died, leaving issue a son called Rhys, commonly known by
the name of Lord Rhys, by Gwenlhian the daughter of
Gruffydh ap Conan, who by some is said to have poisoned
her husband.* Towards the end of the same year died
likewise Gruffydh ap Conan, Prince of North Wales,f after
he had reigned 57 years : his death was much lamented by
all his subjects, because he was a prince of incomparable
qualities, and one who, after divers victories obtained over
the English, had thoroughly purged North Wales from all
foreigners. He had issue by Angharad, the daughter of
Owen ap Edwyn,J three sons, — namely, Owen, Cadwalader,
and Cadwalhon,§ and five daughters, — Marret, Susanna,
Ranulht, Agnes, and Gwenlhian; and by a concubine
lago, Ascain, Edwal (Abbot of Penmon), Dolhing, and
Elen, who was married to Hova ap Ithel Felyn of Yal.
There were several excellent laws enacted in his time ; and
among the rest, he reformed the great disorders of the
Welsh minstrels, which wrere then grown to great abuse.
Of these there were three sorts in Wales ; the first were
called Beirdh, who composed several songs and odes of
various measures, wherein the poet's skill was not only
required, but also a natural endowment, or a vein which the
Latins term furor poeticus. These likewise kept the
records of all gentlemen's arms and pedigrees, and were
principally esteemed among all the degrees of the Welsh
poets. The next were such as played upon musical instru-
ments, chiefly the harp and the crowd or crwth; which
musick Gruffydh || ap Conan first brought over into WTales;

who
L2

* Gwenlhian, desirous of aiding the designs of her husband, took the field in person
at the head of her own forces, attended by her two sons ; but her army was defeated
by Maurice de Londres. Morgan, one of her sons, was slain in the action, and her other
son, Maelgwyn, was taken prisoner ; and the princess herself, it is said, was beheaded by
the orders of her brutal enemy. — Girald. Cambr. Uin. An action so savage, without
precedent even in these times, called loudly for vengeance on the spirit of ihe injured
princess. This circumstance clearly contradicts the assertion of Morentius Monk of
Westminster, that Gwenlhian, wife to Gryffydh ap Rhys, by deceitful practices, had been
the cause of his death.— Girald. Cambr. I tin. lib. i. c. iv. See Welsh Chron. p. 190.

f He died at the advanced age of eighty-two years, and was buried on the south side
of the great altar in the church of Bangor.- — Vita Griff, fil. Conani.

J Lord of Englefield.
§ He was slain before the death of his father. — Welsh Chron. p. 191.

|| An elegy on Gruffydh was sung by Meilyr Brydydd, which piece is preserved in the
Welsh Archaiology, and concludes thus, —

" O, may the son of Cynan, of enlarge.! mind, be with Christ in the pure adoration of
the region of glory ! Since the chief of men obtains the social confidence of angels, as to
my life I have not a longing wish : he is, through the meritorious rrediation of One of
the Unity of Trinity, in a purely splendid home of the celestial world."

148 HISTORY OF WALES.

who being born in Ireland, and descended by his mother's
side of Irish parents, brought with him from thence several
skilful musicians, that invented almost all the instruments
which were afterwards played upon in Wales. The last
sort were called Atcaneaid, whose business it was to sing to
the instruments played- upon by another. Each of these,
by the same statute, had their several reward and encou-
ragement allotted to them ; their life and behaviour was to
be spotless and unblameable, otherwise their punishment
was very severe and rigid, every one having authority to
punish and correct them, even to the deprivation of all they
had. They were also interdicted and forbidden to enter
any man's house, or to compose any song of any one,
without the special leave and warrant of the party concerned ;
with many other ordinances relating to the like purpose.

OWEN GWYNEDH.

A.D. 1137. AFTER the death of Gruffydh ap Conan, his eldest son
Owen, surnamed Gwynedh, succeeded in the principality
of North Wales; who had no sooner entered upon the
government than, together with the rest of his brethren,
he made an expedition into South Wales, and having
demolished and overthrown the castles of Stradmeyric,
Stephan, and Humflfrey, and laid in ashes the town of
Caermardhyn,* he returned home with no less honour than
booty and plunder. About the same time, John, Arch-
deacon of Lhanbadarn, departed this life, a man of singular
piety and strictness of life, who, for his rigid zeal in religion
and virtue, was thought worthy to be canonized, and to be
counted among the number of the saints. This year like-
wise King Stephen passed over to Normandy, and having
concluded a peace with the French king and the Duke of
Anjou, returned back to England without any further
delay: but the following spring gave opportunity for
greater undertakings; David king of Scots, upon the king
of England's going to France last summer, had entered the
borders of England, and continued to make considerable
waste and havock in that part of the country. Whereupon
King Stephen, to rid his country and his subjects from so
dangerous an enemy, marched with an army towards the
North, whose coming the king of Scots hearing of, he relin-
quished

* Welsh Chron. p. 193.— He retained in his possession all Caerdigan, compelled
the inhabitants of Pembroke to pay him tribute, and returned to his own dominions in
high reputation,— Brit Ant, Rev. by Vaughan of Hengwrt, p. 23.

HISTORY OF WALES. 149

quished the borders of England, and retired to his own
country. But that did not satisfy King Stephen, who
desired to be further revenged for the unpardonable hostili-
ties committed by the Scots in his dominions ; and therefore
pursuing them to their own country, he harassed and laid
waste all the south part of the kingdom of Scotland. The
king's absence, however, animated several of the English
nobility to rebel; for which purpose they fortified every
one of their castles and strongholds; William Earl of
Gloucester those of Leeds and Bristol; Ralph Lunel,
Cari; William Fitz-Alan, Shrewsbury; Paganellus, Lud-
low; William de Moyun, Dunester; Robert de Nichol,
Warham; Eustace Fitz-John, Merton; and Walklyn,
Dover. Notwithstanding all these mighty preparations,
the king in a short time became master of them all ; some
he won by assault, others upon fair promises and advan-
tageous conditions were surrendered, and some he got by
treacherous under-hand contrivances. The Scots thought
to take advantage of these commotions in England ; and
thereupon, as soon as they heard that some of the nobility
were in actual rebellion against the king, they entered into
the borders, and began, as they thought without any appre-
hension of opposition, to ravage and lay waste the country
before them: but William Earl of Albemarle, William
Pyppell Earl of Nottingham, Walter Espec, and Gilbert
Lacy, gathered together all the forces they could raise in
the North; and being animated and encouraged by the
eloquent and pressing oration of Ralph Bishop of Orkneys,
which he delivered in the audience of the whole army, they
set upon the Scots at Almerton with such courage that,
after a very great slaughter of his men, King David was
glad to escape with his life by flight. After this, King
Stephen seized to his own use the castles of Ludlow and
Leeds, and pressed the bishops of Salisbury and Lincoln so
hard, that to prevent their perishing by famine, they were
constrained to surrender ; the former the castles of Vises
and Shirburn, the latter those of Newark-upon-Trent and
Sleeford. This greatly augmented the king's strength
against the ensuing storm; for in the summer this year,
Maud the Empress, daughter and heir to King Henry, to
whom King Stephen and all the nobility of England had
sworn allegiance, landed at Arundel, with her brother
Robert Earl of Gloucester, and was there honourably re-
ceived, by William de Albineto, who was lately married
to Queen Adeliz, King Henry's widow, with whom he
received the Earldom of Arundel in dowry. As soon as

King

150 HISTORY OF WALES.

King Stephen heard of her landing, he marched with all
possible speed to Arundel, and laid siege to the castle;
but finding it impregnable, he raised the siege, and by that
means suffered the Empress and her brother to escape to
Bristol.

A. D. 1138. The next year an unlucky accident fell out in Wales;
Cynric/ one of Prince Owen's sons, having by some means
or other disgusted Madawc ap Meredith ap Blethyn ap
Confyn, a person of considerable esteem and estate in the
country, was by his connivance set upon and slain by his
men. The affairs of England this year afforded greater
rarity of action ; King Stephen with a formidable army laid
siege to the city of Lincoln, to the relief of which, Ranulph
Earl of Chester, and Robert Earl of Gloucester, marched
with their forces : but before they could arrive, the town
was taken ; whereupon they drew up their forces in order
to give the king battle, who on the other side was ready to
receive them. King Stephen drew up his forces in three
divisions, the first being led by the Earls of Britain, Mellent,
Norfolk, Hampton, and Warren ; the second by the Earl of
Albemarle, and William of Ypres ; and the third by the
king himself, assisted by Baldwyn Fitz-Gilbert, with several
others of his nobility. Of the enemy's side, the disinherited
barons had the first place ; the Earl of Chester, with a con-
siderable party of Welshmen, far better couraged than
armed, led the second ; and the Earl of Gloucester the
third division. After an obstinate battle on both sides, the
victory at length favoured the barons, King Stephen being
first taken prisoner, and a little after the queen, together
with William of Ypres and Bryan Fitz-Count ; but within
a while after, William Martell and Geoffrey de Mandeville
gathered together some fresh forces, and fought the Empress
and her brother at Winchester, and having put the Empress
to flight, took Earl Robert prisoner, for exchange of whom,

1139. the king was set at liberty. The next year King Stephen
adventured another battle, and received a second overthrow
at Wilton ; which, however, did not so much discourage
him, but that he laid so close a siege to the Empress and
her forces at Oxford, that she was glad to make her escape
to Wallingford. The same year died Madawc ap Ednerth,
a person of great quality and note in Wales ; and Meredith
ap Howel, a man in considerable esteem, was slain by the
sons of Blethyn ap Gwyn.

1140. For the two succeeding years nothing remarkable passed
in Wales ; excepting that this year Howel ap Meredith ap
Rhytherch of Cantref Bychan, and Rhys ap Howel were

slain

HISTORY OF WALES. 151

slain in a cowardly manner by the treachery and perfidious
practices of the Flemings; and the next year Howel ap^.D. 1141.
Meredith ap Blethyn was basely murdered by his own men ;
at which time, Howel and Cadwgan the sons of Madawc ap
Ednerth, upon some unhappy quarrel, killed each other.
Shortly after this, an irreconcileable difference fell out 1142.
betwixt Ariarawd son to Gruffydh ap Rhys, Prince of South
Wales, and his father-in-law Cadwalader the son of Gruftydh
ap Conan, and brother to Prince Owen Gwynedh ; which
from words quickly proceeded to blows. In this dispute
Anarawd was unhappily slain ; which so exasperated Prince
Owen against his brother Cadwalader, that, together with
his son Howel, he marched with an army into his brother's
country, and after a considerable waste and destruction,
burnt to the ground the castle of Aberystwyth. Cadwalader,
upon hearing the news of Prince Owen's approach, withdrew
himself and fled to Ireland ; where having hired a great
number of Irish and Scots for two thousand marks, under
the command of Octer, and the sons of Turkel and Cherulf,
he sailed for Wales, and landed at Abermeny,* in Carnar-
vonshire. The Prince marched instantly to prevent their
farther progress into the country ; and both armies being
come in view of each other, a peace was happily concluded
betwixt the two brothers. The Irish understanding this,
and that their coming over was likely to prove but a fool's
errand to them, they surprised and secured Cadwalader, till
their wages and arrears were paid ; who, .to obtain hip
liberty, delivered to them two thousand head of cattle,
besides many prisoners, and other booty, which they had
taken in the country : but as soon as the prince was informed
that his brother Cadwalader was set free, he fell upon the
Irish, and having slain a very considerable number of them,
recovered all the booty they purposed to ship off, and forced
as many as could escape to return with great Joss, and a
greater shame, back to Ireland, f

The Normans, however, had far better success in Wales ;
Hugh son to Radulph Earl of Chester, having fortified his
castle of Cymaron, entered and won the country of Melienyth
a second time; and the castle of Clun being fortified by
another lord, all Elvel became subject to the Normans. At
the same time King Stephen took Geoffrey Mandeville
prisoner at St. Albans, where the Earl of Arundel, by the
fall of his horse, had nearly been drowned in the river : but
the Earl of Mandeville, to obtain his liberty, delivered up
to the king the tower of London, with the castles of Walden

and

* Abermenai. f Welsh Chron. p. 197.

152 HISTORY OF WALES.

and Plassey, which reduced him to such a condition, that he
was forced to live upon the plunder and spoil of abbies and
other religious houses, till at length he was slain in a skir-
mish against the king, and his son was banished.
A. D. 1144. The next year a skirmish happened betwixt Hugh de
Mortimer and Rhys ap Howel, wherein the latter was taken
prisoner, with many others of his accomplices, who were all
committed to prison by the English : but it fared much
better with Howel* and Conan, the sons of Prince Owen,
who having raised an army against the Flemings and Nor-
mans, gained a considerable victory at Aberteifi,f and
having placed a garrison in the town, returned home with
great honour and much booty.

About the same time, Sulien ap Rhythmarch, one of the
college of Lhanbadarn, and a person of great reading and
extensive learning, departed this life. Shortly after, Gilbert
Earl of Clare came with a great number of forces to Dyfed,
and built the castle of Caermardhyn, and the castle of the
1145. sons of Uchtryd.J Hugh Mortimer likewise slew Meyric
ap Madawc ap Riryd ap Bleddin, and Meredith ap Madawc
ap Ednerth. Thus far it went of the side of the English ;
but now the Welsh began to gain ground : Cadelh the son
of Gruffydh ap Rhys, Prince of South Wales, laid siege to
the castle of Dynefawr,§ belonging to Earl Gilbert, which
being surrendered, Cadelh, assisted by his brethren Meredith
and Rhys, brought his army before the castle of Caermard-
hyn, which after a short siege yielded in a like manner, on
condition, however, that the garrison should not be put to
the sword. ||

From thence he marched to Lhanstephan,1[and encamped
before the castle ; to the relief of which the Normans and
Flemings coming with their forces, were completely van-

quished, and the castle was speedily delivered up to the
Welsh. The Normans were so much incensed at this, that
they mustered all the forces they could draw together out
of the neighbouring countries, and unexpectedly surrounded
the castle, intending by all possible means to recover the
same : but the governor, Meredith ap Gruffydh, a man of
great years, and no less experience, so animated and en-
couraged the besieged, that when the Normans and Flemings
ventured to scale the walls, they were beat back with such

vigour,

* Besides being a gallant warrior, Prince Howel was a bard of some eminence : he
wrote an account of his battles in verse, and some love verses, in a most elegant manner j
several of which appear in the Welsh Archaiology.

f Welsh Chron.p.198. J Ibid.

§ Dinas Faur, or the Great Palace. |] Welsh Chron. p. 198.

Ofl Llan Stephan, situate on the mouth of the river Towi, in the county of Caermarthen.

HISTORY OF WALES. 153

vigour, and loss on their side, that at length they were com-
pelled to raise the siege, and leave the Welsh in possession
of the castle.*

Shortly after this, Run,f the son of Prince Owen of North
Wales, a youth of great promise and incomparable qualifi-
cations, died, whose death his father took so much to heart,
that for some time he seemed to be past all comfort, being
fallen into such a melancholy disposition, that he was satis-
fied with nothing but retirement : but an accident fell out,
which roused him out of this lethargical fit of sorrow and
discontent : the castle of Mold was so very strong and well
garrisoned by the English, that it greatly annoyed the
country thereabouts, and had been frequently besieged, but
could never be taken. Prince Owen at this time levied an
army, and laid close siege to it ; and the garrison throughout
several assaults behaved itself so manfully, that the place
seemed impregnable : but the presence and example of
Prince Owen so encouraged his men> that they renewed the
attack with all possible vigour and might, and at last forced
their entrance into the castle. Having put a great number
of the garrison to the sword, and taken the rest prisoners,
the castle was razed to the ground; and this fortunate
attempt so pleased the prince, that he forgot all sorrow for
his son, and returned to his usual temper and accustomed
merriments. At the same time, King Stephen of England
obtained a remarkable victory over his enemies at Faren-
don ; and although the ensuing year Randal Earl of Chester
and he were reconciled, yet he thought it more adviseable
to detain him prisoner, though contrary to his promise^
until such time as the Earl would deliver up the castle of
Lincoln, with all the forts and places of strength in his
custody.

The next year, Cadelh, Meredith, and Rhys, the sons of A.D. 1146.
Gruffydh ap Rhys ap Theodore brought an army before the
castle of Gwys ; but finding themselves too weak to master
it, they desired Howel, son to Prince Owen Gwynedh, a
person famous for martial endowments, to come to their
assistance. Howel, who was very desirous of signalizing
himself, and of evidencing his valour to the world, readily
consented to their request; and having drawn his forces
together, marched directly towards Gwys, where being
arrived, he was joyfully received, and honourably entertained
by such lords as desired his help. Having viewed the
strength and fortification of the castle, he found it was im-
practicable

* Welsh Chron. p. 198.
t A favourite, though an illegitimate son. — Welsh Chron. p. 226.

154 HISTORY OF WALES.

practicable to take the place, without the walls could be
destroyed • and therefore he gave orders that certain batter-
ing engines should be provided, whilst the rest should
harass and molest the besieged, by throwing great stones
into the castle.* The enemies perceiving what irresistible
preparations the besiegers contrived, thought it to no pur-
pose to withstand their fury ; and therefore to do that volun-
tarily which must be done by compulsion, they presently
yielded up the castle. Shortly after this a great difference
happened betwixt the sons of Prince Owen, Howel and
Conan, and their uncle Cadwalader ; whereupon the former
entered with an army into the country of Merioneth, and
committed great wastes and hostilities there, insomuch that
the inhabitants flocked into sanctuaries to save their lives :
but the young lords finding what a fearful and unsettled
condition the people were in, and the better to draw them
to their side, issued a proclamation, assuring them that all
who would favour their country, should not only enjoy their
lives, but their former liberty and accustomed privileges ;
upon the publication of which edict, the people returned to
their own habitations. Having by this stratagem brought
all the country under their own pleasure and good will, they
led their army before the castle of Cynvael, belonging to
Cadwalader, which he had built and strongly fortified.
The government of this castle Cadwalader had committed
to Merfyn, abbot of Tygwyn, or the White House; who
being summoned to surrender, by the brothers Howel and
Conan, did not only refuse, but defied their utmost efforts
upon the place. The lords finding they could do no. good
by threats and menaces, judged it more convenient to make
use of the other extreme ; and therefore promised the abbot
a very high reward, if he would deliver the castle into their
hands : but all proved of no effect, the abbot being a person
of more honesty and greater honour than to be corrupted to
betray his trust, told them flatly that he would not deceive
his master's expectation, and therefore would choose rather
to die with honour, than to live with shame. The lords
finding him inexorable, and withal being vexed that a
churchman should put such a stop to their fortunate pro-
ceedings, made such a vigorous assault upon the castle, that
after they had pulled down some part of the walls, they
entered in by force, and ravaged so furiously, that they
killed and wounded the whole garrison, the abbot only
escaping, who, by the help of some of his friends in Howel's
army, got away safe.f Towards the close of this year,

several

« Welsh Chron. p. 200. f Welsh Chron. p. 201.

HISTORY OF WALES. 155

several persons of note departed this life, among whom were
Robert Earl of Gloucester, and Gilbert Earl of Clare, as
also Uchthryd bishop of Llandaff, a man of great piety and
learning, in whose see succeeded Nicholas ab Gurgant.

The following year also died Bernard bishop of St. A. D. 1147.
David's, and was succeeded by David Fitzgerald, then
archdeacon of Cardigan. Sometime after, Prince Owen 1148.
Gwynedh built a castle in Yale, called Castelh y Rodwyth ;
and his brother Cadwalader built another at Lhanrystid,
and bestowed his part of Cardigan upon his son Cadwgan.
Also Madoc the son of Meredith ap Blethyn founded the
castle of Oswestry, and gave his nephews Owen and Meyric,
the sons of Gruffydh ap Meredith, his share of Cyfeilioc.

The next year Conan son to Prince Owen Gwynedh, for 1149.
certain faults and miscarriages committed against his father,
though the particulars are not discovered, was put in prison,
where for some time he continued in custody. But it fared
better with his brother Howel, who having made his uncle
Cadwalader his prisoner, reduced all his country, together
with his castle, subject to himself. In South Wales, some
business of moment happened this year ; Cadelh the son of
Gruffydh ap Rhys having fortified the castle of Carmardhyn,
marched with his army towards Cydwely, wasted and de-
stroyed the whole country, and being returned home, joined
his army with his brothers Meredith and Rhys, who entering
into the country of Cardigan, won that part called Is Aeron.
This was succeeded by an action of greater importance in
North Wales; some irreconcileable difference arising be-
twixt Prince Owen and Randal Earl of Chester, it quickly
broke out into open war. The Earl made all the prepara-
tions the time would permit, and drew together a consider-
able army from all parts of England, and what strengthened
and encouraged him the more, he was joined by Madoc ap
Meredith Prince of Powys, who disdaining to hold his lands
of Prince Owen Gwynedh, chose rather to side with and
abet his enemies. The prince, on the other hand, was not
backward in his preparations, and perceiving the enemy to
come upon him, thought it adviseable not to suffer him to
advance too far into the country, but to stop and prevent his
career before he should take too firm a footing in his do-
minions. To this end he marched with his whole power as
far as Consyllt in Flintshire, with full resolution to give the
Earl of Chester battle, which the English were glad of, as
thinking themselves far more numerous, and much better
armed and disciplined than the Welsh : but both armies
having joined battle, the English quickly faltered in their
expectation of success, and finding the Welsh to press

irresistibly

156 HISTORY OF WALES.

irresistibly upon them, they thought it wiser to retire, and
endeavour to save themselves by flight: the Welsh, how-
ever, pursued them so hard that few escaped being either
slain or taken prisoners, and they some of the chief com-
manders, who through the fleetness of their horses avoided
the fury of their pursuers.*

A. D. 1150. The next year the scene of action removed to South
Wales ; Cadelh, Meredith, and Rhys, the sons of Gruffydh
ap Rh}'s, Prince of South Wales, being entered with an
army into Cardigan, won all the country from the son of
Howel Prince of North Wales, excepting the castle of
Lhanfihangel in Pengwern. The siege of Lhanrystyd castle
proved so difficult, that the young lords of South Wales lost
a great part of their bravest soldiers before it, which so
enraged them, that when they got possession of the castle,
they put all the garrison to the sword. From thence they
marched to Ystradmeyric castle, which after they had won,
manned, and re-fortified, they disbanded their forces, and
returned home. But Cadelh, the eldest of the brothers,
was upon the point of receiving that blow by treachery at
home, which he had escaped from the enemies abroad ; for
some of the inhabitants of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, having
conceived a displeasure and hatred against Cadelh, were
resolved to revenge themselves, and to lay a trap for his life;
and having observed that he took great pleasure in hunting,
were resolved to execute their plot, whilst he was hot and
eager at his sport. Observing, therefore, one day that he
went a hunting with only a few companions, they placed them-
selves in ambuscade, and when the game came that way, they
unexpectedly set upon the unarmed sportsmen, and having
easily made all the rest fly away, they wounded Cadelh so
cruelly, that he narrowly escaped their hands alive; he
made shift, however, to get home, lay for a long time dan-
gerously ill, and with great difficulty at length recovered his
life. Upon this, his brothers Meredith and Rhys passed
with an army into Gwyr, and having burnt and destroyed
the country thereabouts, they besieged and took the castle of
Aberlhychwr, but finding they could not keep it, they razed
it to the ground, and after that returned home with great
booty to Dynevawr, and repaired the fortifications of the
castle there.f About the same time also, Howel, Prince
Owen Gwynedh's son, fortified Humphry's castle in the
valley of Caletwr.

1151. But the following year Prince Owen did a very barbarous
action to Cunetha, his brother Cadwalhon's son ; for, being

apprehensive

* Welsh Chron. p. 202.— Hist. Gwedir Family, p. 4.
f The ancient palace of their ancestors.

HISTORY OF WALES. 157

apprehensive lest this young man should lay claim to any
part of his estate as his father's right, he first pulled out his
eyes, and afterwards castrated him, that he should not beget
any children to renew a claim to Cadwalhon's estate.* This
inhuman severity was succeeded by another of no small
remark; Lhewelyn, son to Madoc ap Meredith, having
watched a convenient opportunity, set upon and slew Stephen
the son of Baldwin : but Cadwalader, Prince Owen's
brother, after a tedious imprisonment which he had sus-
tained through the malice and rancour of his nephew Howel,
at length made his escape, and flying to the Isle of Angle-
sey, brought a considerable part of that island under his
subjection. Prince Owen hearing that his brother had
escaped from custody, and that he was in actual possession
of a great part of Anglesey, immediately dispatched an army
over, which proving too formidable to Cadwalader's party,
he was constrained to escape to England, and to desire
succour from the relations of his wife, who was the daughter
of Gilbert Earl of Clare.f This year Galfrede Arthur,
commonly called Geoffrey of Monmouth, was made bishop
of St. Asaph, and at the same time Simon Archdeacon of
Cyfeilioc, a man of great worth and esteem in his country,
died.

The year following, Meredith and Rhys, the sons of At D- 1152'
Gruffydh ap Rhys Prince of South Wales, laid siege to
Penwedic castle, which belonged to Howel, Prince Owen's
son, and after great pains and considerable loss of men on
their side, at last made themselves masters of it. From
thence they marched by night to Tenby, and unexpectedly
falling upon the castle, of which one Fitzgerald was
governor, they scaled the walls before the garrison were
aware of any danger, and so possessing themselves of the
castle, they fell upon the garrison, in revenge of the mis-
chief they had done and further designed to their brother
Cadelh : for Cadelh at this time was gone upon a pilgrimage,
and during his absence had committed his whole inheritance
and all other concerns in Wales to the care of his brethren,
Meredith and Rhys. After the taking of Tenby castle,
they divided their army into two parties, with one of which
Rh}7s marched to Ystratcongen; and after great havock and
waste committed there, he passed to Cyfeilioc, which fared
in like manner with Ystratcongen. Meredith, with the
other party, encamped before Aberavan castle, and after a
short siege won and got possession of it, and then returned

home

* Welsh Chron. p. 203.
t Memoirs of Gwedir Family, p. 5.— Welsh Chron. 203.

158 HISTORY OF WALES.

home with very considerable booty and many rich spoils.
About the same time, Randal Earl of Chester, who had
lived in continual enmity and frequent hostility with Prince
Owen of North Wales, departed this life, leaving his son
Hugh to enjoy both his titles and estate in England, and to
prosecute the feuds and hostilities against the Welsh.
A. p. 1153. Shortly after died Meredith, son to Gruffydh ap Rhys,
Prince of South Wales, who was Lord of Cardigan, Ystrat-
ywy, and Dyfed, being not passed the twenty-fifth year of
his age; a person of incomparable valour and enterprize,
and in all his attempts and achievements very fortunate.
He was presently followed by Geoffrey Bishop of Llandaff,
a man as famous for learning and a good life as the other
was for masculine bravery and martial prowess. In Eng-
land the face of things looked very lowering ; Henry, sur-
named Shortmantle, the empress's son, landed in England,
and in his progress through the country took several castles,
among which were Malmesbury, Wallingford, and Shrews-
bury : but his fury was quickly appeased by the death of
Eustace, King Stephen's son, so that the sole obstacle to
his succeeding to the throne being now removed, he wil-
lingly concluded a peace with King Stephen, permitting
him to enjoy the crown peaceably for his life, upon condi-

1154. tion that he should be declared his successor. King
Stephen did not long survive this treaty ; and then Henry
Plantagenet, the Empress's son, was crowned in his stead.

1155. Towards the beginning of King Henry's reign, Rhys
Gruffydh ap Rhys, King of South Wales, upon apprehen-
sion that Owen Gwynedh had raised an army for the
conquest of South Wales, drew together all his strength,
and marched to Aberdyfi to face the enemy upon their own
borders : but finding the rumour to be false, and that the
prince of North Wales had no such design in hand, having
built a castle at Aberdyfi, which might defend the frontiers
from any future attempt on his country, he returned back
without attempting any thing farther. At the same time,
Madoc ap Meredith built a castle at Caereneon near Cymer,
and then Eglwys Fair* in Meivod was founded. About
this time also, Meyric, nephew to Prince Madoc ap
Meredith, made his escape out of prison, wherein he had
been detained by his uncle for a considerable time.

The same year, King Henry, being displeased with the
Flemings, whom his predecessor King Stephen had brought
over into England, issued a proclamation, charging the
greatest part of them to depart his dominions, and to retire

to

* For Mair— Saint Mary's Church.

HISTORY OF WALES. 159

to their countrymen in West Wales, where his grandfather,
Henry the First, the bastard's son, had planted them :* and
thus that part of Wales called Pembrokeshire was over-run
with these strangers, who, being more befriended by the
kings of England than the Welsh could expect to be, made
sure footing in that country, where they have ever since
continued firm. It was the English policy of those times to
accept any opportunity to curb and keep under the Welsh,
whom they found by experience to be unsafe neighbours,
and therefore the kings of England granted various lands
and privileges in Wales to any that would receive them,
which lands and privileges they had of right no power to
bestow.

This, however, was not detrimental enough to the Welsh ; A- D- 1156>
for the year following King Henry raised a very great
army, which he gathered from all parts of England, for the
purpose of subduing all North Wales,f being principally
moved hereto by the instigation of Cadwalader the prince's
brother, whom Owen Gwynedh, for reasons not known,
deprived of his estate, and banished the country. Madoc
ap Meredith Prince of Powys (who maligned the liberty
and privilege of the princes of North Wales, who owned
subjection to no other than the king of England, whereas
those of Powys were obliged to do homage to the prince of
North Wales) also jointly consented to this invitation.
The king of England accepted their proposals, led his
army to West-Chester, and encamped upon the marsh
called Saltney, which borders on the river Dee, in Welsh
Morfa-Caer-Lleon. Prince Owen, all this while, was not
ignorant of the intended invasion ; and therefore having
made all possible preparations to confront the enemy, he
marched his army to the frontiers of England, and, encamp-
injg at Basingwerk,J resolved to give the English battle.
King Henry being informed of the prince's resolution,
detached some of the best troops out of the main body,
under the command of several earls and other noblemen,
and sent them towards the prince's camp : but after they
had advanced some little way, and were passing through a
wood called Coed-Eulo,§ David and Conan, Prince Owen's

sons,

* Welsh Chron. p. 205.

f Such were the mighty preparations which this prince made for the conquest of
Wales, that he compelled every two of his military vassals throughout England to find a
soldier to reinforce his army, and to enable him with greater vigour to prosecute the war.
— Matth. Paris, p. 81. There were sixty thousand knights' fees created by the Con-
queror, which must make the levy of Henry raised at this time 30,000 men.— Hume's
Hist. Eng. vol. ii. p 2. Appendix, p. 141.

I Near Holywell, in the county of Flint. § Near Hawarden.

160 HISTORY OF WALES.

sons, unexpectedly set upon them, and by the advantage of
the ground and the suddenness of the action, the English
were repulsed with great slaughter, and those who survived
narrowly escaped to the king's camp.* This was a very
unwelcome beginning to King Henry ; but in order that he
might succeed better hereafter, he thought it advisable to
depart from Saltney and to arrange his troops along the sea-
coast, thinking thereby to get betwixt Prince Owen and
his country, which if he could effect, he thought he was
sure to place the Welsh in a state of very great inconveni-
ence : but the prince, foreseeing the danger of this, retired
with his army to a place called Cil Owen, that is, Owen's
Retreat, which when King Henry perceived, he relin-
Lib. 2. quished his design, and proceeded to Ruthlan. W. Parnus
cap. 5. writes, that in this expedition against the Welsh, King
Henry was in great danger of his life, in passing through a
strait at Counsyllt near Flint, where Henry Earl of Essex,
who by inheritance enjoyed the office of bearing the stand-
ard of England, being attacked by the enemy, cast down
the same and fled.f This accident encouraged the Welsh,
and they bore down so violently, that the king himself
narrowly escaped, having of his party Eustace Fitz-John
and Robert Curcie, two valiant knights, together with
several others of his nobility and gentry, slain in the action.^
After this, Prince Owen decamped from Cil Owen, and
intrenched himself upon Bryn y Pin,§ where little of moment
passed between the two armies, but some slight skirmishes
happened frequently. King Henry in the mean time forti-
fied the castle of Ruthlan, and during his stay there, Madoc
ap Meredith, Prince of Powys, sailed with the English fleet
to Anglesey, and having put some men on shore, they burnt
two churches, and ravaged part of the country about : but
they paid very dear for it, for all the strength of the island
being met together, they fell upon them in their return to
their ships, and cut them off, so that not one remained to
bring tidings to the fleet of what had befel him. They on
board, however, quickly perceived what had happened, and
therefore thought it not very safe to continue on that coast,

but

* Welsh Chron p. 206.

•f- The year following, Essex was accused of high treason by Roger de Montford 5 and
being vanquished by him in a single combat, which happened in consequence, he was
condemned to death by King Henry, though the severity of the sentence was after-
wards mitigated by that prince : his estate, however, was confiscated, and, after being
shorn like a monk, he was confined during his life in a convent. — Lord Lyttelton's History
of Henry II.

J Holinshead's Chron. p. 67— Chronica Gervasii p. 1380.

§ A stronger post, situate three miles west of St. Asaph. — Stowe's Chron. p. 109: a
manuscript copy in Welsh, by Caradoc of Llancarvan.

MlSTORY OF WALES. 161

but judging it more adviseable to weigh anchor, they set sail
for Chester;* when they were arrived thither, they found
that a peace was actually concluded betwixt King Henry
and Prince Owen, upon condition that Cadwalader should
have all his lands restored to him and be received to the
favour and friendship of his brother. Then King Henry,
leaving the castles of Ruthlan and Basin gwerk well manned
and fortified, and having near the latter founded a public
structure for the order of Knights Templars, returned to
England: but the troubles of Wales did not end with his
expedition, for lorwerdh Goch ap Meredith, who had taken
part with the king of England during this war, laid siege to
the castle of Yale, which was built by Prince Owen^ and,
making himself master of it, rased it to the ground.

The next year commenced with a very unfortunate action : A- D- 1157*
Ifor ap Meyric having long before cast a very wishful eye
upon the land and estate of Morgan ap Owen, was now
resolved to put in execution what he had before contrived,
and, as covetousness seldom bears any regard to virtue or
honour, he treacherously attacked him and slew him ; and
with him fell Gurgan ap Rhys, the most famous British
poet of his time. Morgan's estate Ifor bestowed upon his
brother lorwerth, who about the same time got also posses-
sion of the town of Caer-Lheon. These home-bred dis-
turbances were mitigated by a general peace, which was
shortly after this time concluded betwixt the king of Eng-
land and all the princes and lords of Wales, Rhys ap
Gruffydh ap Rhys Prince of South Wales only excepted :f
for this Prince Rhys, who probably would not rely impli-
citly upon the king of England's fidelity, refused to consent
to a peace ; but to secure himself as well as he could from
the English, whom he had too much reason to fear, he
thought it most prudent to issue orders, commanding his
subjects to remove their cattle and other effects to the
wilderness of Tywy, where they were likely to remain
secure from the eyes and reach of the enemy. He had not,
however, continued there Ions;, when he received a more
positive and express order from King Henry, commanding
him to appear forthwith at court, and to accept the pro-
posals of peace, before the joint forces of England and
Wales were sent to fetch him. Prince Rhys having re-
ceived

M

* Welsh Chron. p. 207.— Giraldus Cambr. Itin. lib. ii. cap. 7. William Newburgh,
lib. ii. cap. 5. Brompton's Chron. p. 1048.

t Rhys was the eldest of six towardly sons, which his father Gruffydd had by
Gwenllian, the fair daughter of Gruffydd ap Conan Prince of North Wales, and,
surviving them all, obtained the dominion of South Wales.— Pantou Papers.

162 HISTORY OF WALES.

ceived such a threatening message, thought fit to relinquish
the design that he had before so rashly resolved upon, and
therefore, after long consultation, he accepted the king's
proposal and appeared at court. It was there agreed, that
Khys, whose lands heretofore lay scattered about and were
intermixed with other persons' estates, should enjoy Cantref
Mawr, and any other Cantref which the king should be
pleased to bestow upon him : but contrary to this article,
the king assigned him several lordships and other lands far
remote from each other, and particularly intermixed them
with the estates of Englishmen, who he was sure would be a
watch and a curb to all the motions of Prince Rhys. This
was indeed a very politick contrivance of King Henry to
keep the high and restless spirit of Rhys in subjection ; but
the justice of the transaction does not so evidently appear
in thus breaking one of the chief articles of the peace, and
dismembering and bestowing that which was not justly in
his power to give : it is, however, manifestly apparent that
the English of these times were mainly determined right or
wrong to oppress and keep under the Welsh, whose mortal
dislike to subjection they had so frequently and so cruelly
experienced. Prince Rh}-s was not ignorant of these
wrongful and deceitful dealings of King Henry, but know-
ing himself to be unable to redress these grievances, he
thought it more advisable for a time to live in peace with a
little than rashly to hazard all. In a short time, however,
he had opportunity either of demanding redress from the
king or of endeavouring to obtain it himself by force of
arms : for as soon as Roger Earl of Clare was informed of
the distribution which the king of England had granted to
Prince Rhys, he came to King Henry, requesting his
majesty to grant him such lands in Wales as he could win
by force of arms. The king readily complied with his
request, being always willing to grant any thing which
tended to curb and incommode the Welsh ; and therefore
the Earl of Clare marched with a great army into Cardigan,
and having fortified the castles of Ystrad-Meyric, Humphrey,
Dyfi, Dynerth, and Lhanrhystyd, he made several incur-
sions into the country. In the same manner, Walter
Clifford, who was governor of Lhanymdhyfri castle, made
inroads into the territories of Prince Khys, and after he had
slain several of the Welsh, and made great waste in the
country, returned with considerable booty.

Prince Rhys, as he was unable to bear these outrages,
was resolved either to have immediate redress or else to
proclaim open war against the English; and therefore he

sent

HISTORY OF WALES. 163

sent an express to King Henry, complaining of the hostilities
which his subjects (the Earl of Clare and Walter Clifford)
had committed in his country; but finding that the king
put him still off with only smooth words and fair promises,
and that he always winked at the faults of the English and
Normans, he, without any farther consultation about the
matter, laid siege to the castle of Lhanymdhyfri, and in a
short time made himself master of it. Also Eineon, the
son of Anarawd, Rhys's brother's son, and a person of great
valour, being desirous to free his country from the miserable
servitude they now groaned under, and judging withal that
his uncle was now discharged from the oath he had lately
sworn to the king of England, attacked the castle of
Humphrey, and having forcibly made his entrance into it,
he put all the garrison to the sword, where he found a great
number of horses, and armour wherewith to equip a consi-
derable body of men. Whilst Eineon was thus engaged at
Humphrey's castle, Prince Rhys, perceiving that he could
not enjoy any part of his inheritance but what he obtained
by the sword, drew all his power together and entered
Cardigan, where, like a violent torrent, he over-ran the
country, so that he left not one castle standing of those
which 'his enemies had fortified, and thus brought all the
country to his subjection. King Henry being much of-
fended at the progress which Prince Rhys so suddenly made
against him, returned with a great army into South Wales,,
but finding it to no purpose to attempt any thing against
the Prince, he thought it more advisable to permit him to
retain all that he had won, and only to take hostages* for
his keeping peace during his absence out of the kingdom,
which Prince Rhys promising to do, lie forthwith returned
to England, and soon after went to Normandy, where he
concluded a peace with the French king.

The year following, Prince Rhys of South Wales, with- A. D. 1158.
out any regard to his promise made to King Henry the
preceding year, led his forces to Dyfed, destroyed all
the castles that the Normans had fortified in that country,
and then laid siege to Caermardhyn ; but Reynold Earl of
Bristol, the king's illegitimate son, being informed of it,
called together the Earl of Clare, his brother-in-law Cad-
walader, Prince Owen of North Wales's brother, Howel
and Conan (Owen's sons), with two Earls more, who with
their joint forces marched to raise the siege. Prince Rhys
was too prudent to abide their coming, and therefore, upon

the

JVI 2

* He was obliged to deliver up his iwo sons as pledges for his future obedience.—
Lord Lyttelton's Henry II. vol. ii. p. 79.

164 HISTORY OF WALES.

the first intimation of such an opposition, he retired to the
mountains called Cefn Rester and there encamped, being
sufficiently secure from any enemy by the natural fortifica-
tion of the place. The confederate army lay at Dynwylhir,
and there built a castle ; but hearing no tidings of Prince
Rhys, they returned home without effecting any thing of
note.* King Henry was still in Normandy, and there made
war against the Earl of St. Giles for the city and earldom
of Tholouse.

A.D. 1160. Towards the beginning of this year, Madoc ap Meredith
ap Blethyn, Prince of Powys, died at Winchester, whence
his body was honourably conveyed to Powys and buried at
Meivod.f He was a Prince very much affected to piety
and religion, very charitable to the necessitous, and benevo-
lent to the distressed; but his great fault was, that he
strove too hard for the interest of the English, and was
always in confederacy with King Henry against the good
success of his native country. He had issue by his wife
Susanna, the daughter of Gruffydh ap Conan, Prince of
North Wales, three sons, Gruftydh Maylor, Owen, and
Elis, and a daughter named Marred. He had also three
natural sons, Owen Brogynton, Cynwric Efelh, and Eineon
Efelh, who though base born, yet according to the custom
of Wales, co-inherited with their brethren who were
legitimate.

And here it will not be amiss to give a particular account
of that portion of the principality, afterwards known as the
Lordships of Powys, how it came to be divided into many
shares, and by that means became so irrecoverably broken
and weakened, that it was made subject to the Normans
before the rest of Wales ; for Powys before King Offa's
time reached eastwards to the rivers Severn and Dee, in a
right line from the end of Broxton hills to Salop, and com-
prehended all the country between the Wye and Severn,
which was anciently the estate of Brochwel Yscithroc, of
whom mention has been made in this work : but after the
making of Offa's dike, Powys was contracted into a narrower
compass, the plain country towards Salop being inhabited
by Saxons and Normans, so that the length of it com-
mencing north-east from Pulford bridge extended to
LlangiricJ parish on the confines of Cardiganshire to the
south-west, and the breadth from the farthest part of
Cyfeilioc westward, to Ellesmere on the east-side. This

principality

* Welsh Chron. p. 210.

f Meivod in Montgomeryshire, the usual burying-place of his family. — From this period
the descendants of the princes of South Wales possessed no sovereign authority.

J Llangerig.

HISTORY OF WALES. 165

principality, Roderic the Great gave to his youngest son
Merfyn, in whose posterity it remained entire, till the death
of Blethyn ap Confyn, who divided it betwixt his sons
Meredith and Cadwgan; yet it came again whole and
entire to the possession of Meredith ap Blethyn, but he
again broke the union, and left it between his two sons
Madawc and Gruflfydh ; the first of whom was married to
Susanna, the daughter of Gruffydh ap Conan, Prince of
North Wales, and had with her that part, afterwards called
by his name — Powys Fadoc. After his death this lordship
was divided also betwixt his sons Gruflfydh Maelor, Owen
ap Madawc, and Owen Brogynton, which last, though base
born, had, for his incomparable valour and courage, a share
of his father's estate, namely, Edeyrneon and Dinmael,
which he left to his sons Gruffydh, Blethyn, and lorwerth.
Owen ap Madawc had to his portion Mechain-is-Coed, and
had issue Lhewelyn and Owen Fychan. Gruffydh Maelor,
the eldest son, Lord of Bromfield, had to his part, both the
Maelors with Mochnant-is-Raydar, and married Angharad,
the daughter of Owen Gwynedh, Prince of North Wales,
by whom he had issue one son named Madawc, who held
his father's inheritance entirely, and left it so to his only son
Gruffydh, who was called Lord of Dinas Bran, because he
lived in that castle: he married Emma, the daughter of
James Lord Audley, by whom "he had issue Madawc,
Lhewelyn, Gruffydh, and Owen. This Gruffydh ap
Madawc took part with King Henry the Third and
Edward the First against the Prince of North Wales ; and,
therefore, for fear of the said prince, he was forced to keep
himself secure within his castle of Dinas Bran, which being
situated upon the summit of a very steep hill, seemed
impregnable to all efforts that could be used against it.
After his death, Edward the First dealt very unkindly with
his children, who were of age to manage their own
concerns ; and it nas been said that he caused two of them
to be privately made away. He bestowed the wardship of
Madoc, the eldest son, who had by his father's will the
Lordships of Bromfield and Yale, with the reversion of
Maelor Saesnec, Hopesdale, and Mouldsdale, his mother's
jointure, on John Earl Warren ; and the wardship of
Lhewelyn, to whose share fell the Lordships of Chirk e and
Nanheudwy, he gave to Roger Mortimer, third son to
Roger Mortimer the son of Ralph Mortimer, Lord Mor-
timer of Wigmor : but Emma, Gruffydh's wife, having in
her possession, for her dowry, Maelor Saesnec, Hopesdale,
and Mouldsdale, with the presentation of Bangor rectory,

and

166 HISTORY OF WALES.

and seeing two of her sons disinherited and put away, and
the fourth dead without issue, and doubting lest Gruffydh
her only surviving child should not long continue, she
conveyed her estate to the Audleys, her own kindred, who
getting possession of it, took the same from the king, and
from them it came to the house of Derby, where it continued
for a long time- till at length it was sold to Sir John
Glynne, serjeant-at-law, in whose family it still remaineth.
Earl Warren and Roger Mortimer forgetting wrhat signal
service Gruffydh ap Madoc had performed for the king,
guarded their new possessions with such caution and strict-
ness, that they took especial care they should never return
to any of the posterity of the legal proprietor ; and, there-
fore, having obtained the king's patent, they began to
secure themselves in the said lordships. John Earl War-
ren commenced building Holt castle, which was finished by
his son William, and so the Lordships of Bromfield and
Yale continued in the name of the Earls of Warren for
three descents, viz. John, William, and John, who dying
without issue, the said lordships, together with the Earl-
dom of Warren, descended to Alice, sister and heir to the
last John Earl Warren, who was married to Edmond Fitz
Alan, Earl of Arundel, in whose house they further
remained for three descents, namely, Edmund, Richard,
Richard his son, and Thomas Earl of Arundel; but for
want of issue to this last, Thomas Earl of Arundel and
Warren, the said lordships fell to two of his sisters,
whereof one named Elizabeth, was married to Thomas
Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, and the other called Joan,
to William Beauchamp, Lord of Abergavenny : and
subsequently they came to the hands of Sir William Stan-
ley, Knight, who being attainted of high treason, they
devolved by forfeiture to the crown, and now are annexed to
the principality of Wales. Roger Mortimer, the other
sharer in the lands of Gruffydh ap Madoc, was made
Justice of North Wales, built the castle of Chirk, and
married Lucia, the daughter and heir of Sir Robert de
Wafre, Knight, by whom he had issue Roger Mortimer,
who was married to Joan Tubervill, by whom he had John
Mortimer, Lord of Chirk. This John sold the Lordship
of Chirk to Richard Fitz Alan, Earl of Arundel, Edmund's
son, and so it was again annexed to Bromfield and Yale.

The third son of Gruffydh Lord of Dinas Br&n, named
also Gruffydh, had for his part Glyndwrdwy, which
Gruffydh ap Gruffydh had issue Madoc Crupl, who was the
father of Madoc Fychan, the father of Gruffydh, the father

of

HISTORY OF WALES. 167

of Gruffydh Fychan, who was the father of Owen Glyndwr,
who rebelling in the days of Henry the Fourth, Glyndwrdwy
by confiscation came to the King, of whom it was afterwards
purchased by Robert Salisbury of Rug, to whose descend-
ants it still remaineth, having passed, through heirs female,
into the family of Vaughan of Nannau. Owen, the fourth
son of Gruffydh Lord of Dinas Bran, had for his share
Cynlhaeth, with the rights and privileges thereunto belong-
ing. The other part of Powys, comprehending the coun-
tries of Arustly, Cyfeilioc, Lhannerch-hudol, Caereineon,
Mochnant-uwch-Rhayadr, Mechain-uwch-Coed, Moudhwy,
Deudhwr, Ystrad Marchelch, and Teir-Tref or the Three
Towns, rightfully descended to Gruffydh ap Meredith ap
Blethyn, by Henry the First created Lord Powys, who
married Gweyrvyl or Weyrvyl the daughter of Urgene ap
Howel ap lefaf ap Cadogan ap Athelstan Glodryth, by
whom he had issue Owen surnamed Cyfeilioc. This Owen
enjoyed his father's estate entire, and married Gwenlhian
the daughter of Owen Gwynedh Prince of North Wales,
who bore him one son, named Gwenwynwyn or Wenwyn-
wyn, from whom that part of Powys was afterwards called
Powys Wenwynwyn. He had also an illegitimate brother
called Caswalhon, upon whom was bestowed the lands of
Swydh Lhannerch-hudol, and Broniarth. Gwenwynwyn
succeeded his father in all his estate, excepting the portion
given to Caswalhon, and married Margaret the daughter
of Rhys ap Theodore Prince of South Wales, by whom lie
had Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn, who succeeding his father
in all his possessions, had issue six sons, by Margaret the
daughter of Robert Corbet, brother to Thomas Lord Corbet
of Cause ; and so the entire estate of Gruffydh ap Meredith
ap Blethyn Lord of Powys became scattered, and shred into
various portions. Owen, Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn's
eldest son, had for his part Arustly, Cyfeilioc, Lhannerch-
hudol, and a part of Caereineon ; Lhewelyn had Mochnant-
uwch-Rhayadr and Mechain-uwch-Coed ; John, the third
son, had the fourth part of Caereineon; William had
Moudhwy; Gruffydh Fychan had Deudhwr, Ystrat-Mar-
chelh, and Teir Tref ; and David, the sixth and youngest
son, had the other fourth part of Caereineon. Owen ap
Gruffydh had issue only one daughter, named Hawys
Gadarn, or the Hardy, whom he left his heir; but her
uncles Lhewelyn, John, Gruffydh Fychan, and David,
thinking it an easy matter to dispossess an orphan, claimed
the lands of their brother Owen, alleging as the ground of
their usurpation, that a woman was not capable of holding

any

168 HISTORY OF WALES.

any lands in that country : but Hawys had friends in Eng-
land, and her case was made known to King Edward the
Second, who bestowed her in marriage upon a servant of
his,* named John Charleton, termed Valectys domini regisrf
who was bom at Apley near Wellington, in the county of
Salop, anno one thousand two hundred and sixty-eight, and
in her right the king created him Lord Powys.

This John Charleton ,{ Lord Powys, being aided and sup-
ported by the King of England, quickly set aside all the
measures of his wife's uncles, and having taken Lhewelyn,
John, and David, he put them in safe custody, in the king's
castle of Harlech ; and then obtained a writ from the king
to the sheriff of Shropshire, and to Sir Roger Mortimer,
Lord of Chirkland and justice of North Wales, for the
apprehension of Gruffydh Fychan, with his sons-in-law, Sir
Roger Chamber and Hugh Montgomery, who were then in
actual hostility against him and his wife Hawys : but
Gruffydh Fychan and his accomplices doubting their own
strength, and haying lost Thomas Earl of Lancaster, their
main support, thought it most adviseable to submit them-
selves to the king's pleasure, touching the difference betwixt
them and Hawys ; who finding upon record that Gruffydh
ap Meredith, ancestor to the said Hawys, upon his sub-
mission to King Henry the First, became subject to the
King of England, and thereupon was created Baron of
Powys, which barony he and his posterity had ever since
held in capite from the king, was of opinion that Hawys had
more right to her father's possessions, now in their hands,
than any pretence they could lay to her estate. To make,
therefore, a final determination of this matter, and to com-
pose the difference more amicably betwixt them, it was
agreed that Hawys should enjoy her inheritance in fee-
simple to her and her heirs for ever, after the tenure of
England; and that her uncles Lhewelyn, John, David, and

Gruffydh,

* A gentleman of his chamber,
f Valectus regis : hence Valet. — Yorke, p. 78.

J He was, says Mr. Yorke, " the first lord of an English house, the son pf Sir Alan
Charleton, a man of civil and military habits, had attended his sovereign, moreover, as
his chamberlain in his frequent and unfortunate northern expeditions. He followed for
a time then the reforming factions of Lancaster, the refuge and receptacle of all that were
distressed and discontented ; was defeated and taken with them at Boroughbridge, but
escaped the proscriptions which ensued ; came again into favour, and suffered in the
insurrection against the king, when his house was pillaged by the London mob. Our old
books speak of him in high esteem for his fidelity, prudence, and valour, nor amidst his
greater employments had he neglected the interests and accommodation of his country-
men ; and he obtained from Edward the Second two weekly markets at Pool and
Machynlleth, and two fairs in the year at each place. He died in 1353, at the age of
85 years. His wife, the Powys heiress, died some time before, and was buried in the
dissolved house of the Grey Friars of her own foundation in Shrewsbury." — Yorke's
Royal Tribes, p\ 79.

HISTORY OF WALES. 169

Gruffydh, should quietly enjoy their portion, and the same
to descend to their heirs male perpetually ; but in default of
such heirs male, the same was to descend to Hawys and her
heirs : but William Lord of Moudhwy, the fourth brother,
called otherwise Wilcock Moudhwy, because he did not
join with the rest against Hawys, had all his lands confirmed
to him, and to his heirs male and female for ever. He
married Elianor, the sister of Ellen, Owen Glyndwr's
mother, who was lineally descended from Rhys ap Theodore,
Prince of South Wales, by whom he had issue John de
Moudhwy; whose daughter Elizabeth, being heir to his
whole estate, was married to Sir Hugh Burgh, knight.
His son, Sir John Burgh, Lord of Moudhwy, married Jane
the daughter of Sir William Clopton of Gloucestershire, by
whom he had four daughters, Elizabeth, Ancreda, Isabel,
and Elianor; the first of whom was married to Thomas
Newport ; the second to John Leighton of Stretton ; the
third to John Lingen ; and the younger to Thomas Mytton ;
who, by equal distribution, had the lordship of Moudhwy
and other estates of the Burghs divided betwixt them.

John Charleton Lord of Powys had issue by his wife
Hawys a son named John,* who enjoyed the same lordship
for about seven years, and then left it to his son, of the same
name, who wras Lord of Powys fourteen years ; and then it
descended to his son, called also John Charleton, who en-
joyed his father's estate twenty-seven years; but dying
without issue, the lordship of Powys fell to his brother
Edward Charleton. This Edward had issue by his wife
Elianor, the daughter and one of the heirs of Thomas Earl
of Kent, and the widow of Roger Mortimer Earl of March,
two daughters, Jane and Joyce ; the first of which was
married to Sir John Grey, knight ; and the second to John
Lord Tiptoft, whose son was by King Henry VI. created
Earl of Worcester. After the death of Elianor, this Edward
Lord Powys married Elizabeth the daughter of Sir John
Berkeley, knight; and so after his death, which happened
in the year 1420, the lordship of Powys was divided into
three parts, whereof his widow Elizabeth had for her
jointure Lhannerch-hudol, Ystrad Marchelh, Deudhwr, and
Teir Tref, and was afterwards married to Lord Dudley;
Jane, his eldest daughter, had Caereineon, Mechain, Moch-
nant, and Plasdinas ; and Joyce had Cyfeilioc and Arustly ;
but the lordship of Powys continued in the family of Sir

John

* He was summoned to parliament from the 28th to the 47th of Edward the Third,
was Chamberlain of the Household to this king, as his father had been to his predecessor,
and attended him in that useless and expensive expedition to France in 1339, as he did
his son the Black Prince in the same kingdom and to the same effect in 1375.

170 HISTORY OF WALES.

John Grey for five descents, in right of his wife Jane ; the
last of whom, Edward Grey, Lord Powys, married Anne,
one of the daughters and co-heirs of Charles Brandon, Duke
Dugdale of Suffolk, and died without any lawful issue. This Edward
^mEH§1' Lord Powys> in 15 Henry VIII. accompanied the Duke of
p. 284. Suffolk in the expedition then made into France, and was at
the taking of Bray, and other places then won from the
French. And in 36 Henry VIII. being again ready to
march in the King's service, he made his last testament,
whereby he settled the succession of his whole barony and
lordship of Powys, his castle and manor of Pool, with divers
other lordships in the county of Montgomery, and all the
rest of his estate in the county of Salop, upon the heirs of
his own body lawfully begotten or to be begotten ; and in
default of such issue, his castle and manor of Charleton and
Pontesbury in Shropshire, upon Jane Orwell, daughter of
Sir Lewis Orwell, knight, and her assigns, during her
natural life ; and in case he should die without any issue of
his own body lawfully begotten, that then Edward Grey,
his illegitimate son by the same Jane Orwell, should have
and enjoy his said barony and manor of Powys, his castle
and manor of Pool, and all other his lordships in the county
of Montgomery ; with the reversion of the castle and manor
of Charleton and Pontesbury, to him and his heirs lawfully
begotten ; and for lack of such issue, to remain to that child,
in case it should be a son, wherewith the same Jane Orwell
was then great by him, and to the heirs of his body lawfully
begotten : but if it should not prove a son, or if the son die
without issue, then that the whole barony of Powys, and all
the premises before-mentioned, should come to Jane Grey,
his daughter, and to the heirs of her body lawfully begotten ;
and for lack of such issue, to Anne Grey, his other daugh-
ter, and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten; and
lastly, for default of such issue, to such woman-child as
should be born of the body of the said Jane Orwell. After
the death of Edward Grey, the title of Lord of Powys lay
extinct to the fifth year of King Charles I. when Sir William
Herbert, son of Sir Edward Herbert, of Redcastle (anciently
called Pool Castle, now Powys Castle), in the county of
Montgomery, second son to William Earl of Pembroke, to
whom the castle had come by purchase, was advanced to the
dignity of a baron of the realm, by the title of Lord Powys
of Powys, in the marches of Wales ; in whose descendants it
still continues, though the title has been changed from a
baron to an earl, and subsequently to a marquis and a duke,
afterwards to an earl, and then by a new creation to an earl
again, in the person of Edward Lord Clive now Earl of

Powys,

HISTORY OF WALES. 171

Powys, whose wife was sister and heir to the last Earl of
Powys of the Herbert family.

About the same time that Madoc ap Meredith Prince of
Powys died, Cadwalhon ap Madawc ap Ednerth, who had
been for some considerable time at variance with his brother
Eineon Clyd, was taken prisoner by him, who delivered him
up to Owen Prince of North Wales ; but the prince being
willing to gratify the King of England, whose interest
Cadwalhon had as much as in him lay opposed, sent him to
the king's officers to be imprisoned at Winchester; from
whence he quickly found means to escape : and by the ad-
vice of the rest of his brethren he returned home to his
country. King Henry continued all this while in Nor-
mandy, and during his stay there, a match was agreed upon
betwixt his son Henry and Margaret daughter to Lewis
King of France : but this new alliance did not prevent these
two monarchs from falling at variance with each other,
which happened the year following; and thereupon King
Henry marched with his army into Gascoyne, to quell
certain rebels, who upon first notice of this breach between
the two kings were up in arms against the English. The
next year a peace was again concluded, and so all things A.D. 1161.
returned to their former state of amity and quietness.

It was not so, however, in Wales ; for Howel the son of
levaf ap Cadwgan ap Athelstan Glodryth, having got into
his hands the castle of Walwern in Cyfeilioc, razed it to the
ground, which so incensed Prince Owen,* who was owner
of it, that nothing could allay his fury, till he had drawn his
forces together, and made an incursion into Lhandinam in
Arustly, HowePs country ; which he cruelly harassed, and
carried away considerable booty. The people of the country
perceiving these devastations of the North Wales men, came
together to the number of three hundred men, offering their
service to their natural lord, Howel ap levaf, who, upon this
addition of strength, followed the enemy to the banks of
Severn, where they were encamped. Prince Owen, finding
them to march after him, was glad of the opportunity to be
further revenged upon Howel; and so turning suddenly
upon them, he slew about two hundred men; the rest
narrowly escaping with Howel to the woods and rocks.
Owen being more joyful for the revenge he had taken of
Howel, than for any victory he had gained, rebuilt
Walwerh castle, and having well fortified and manned it,
returned home to North Wales.

The year following, the like thing happened; Owen the iiea.

son

* He was styled Owen Cyveilioc, and had a district called by that name, which
contained nearly half of PowyB. — Welsh Chron. pp.210, 211.

172 HISTORY OF WALES.

son of Gruffydh ap Meredith, commonly called Owen
Cyfeilioc o Wynedh, together with Owen ap Madawc ap
Meredith and Meredith ap Howel, set upon Carreghofa*
castle near Oswestry, and having overpowered the garrison,
committed great waste and destruction therein. About the
same time, a singular quarrel happened in England; Robert
Mountford and Henry de Essex, who had both fought
against the Welsh upon the marches and fled, began now to
impeach each other as being the first occasion of flying.
The dispute was to be tried by single combat, in which
being engaged Henry was overcome; and for his falsely
accusing Robert, he was sentenced to have his estate for-
feited, and then having his crown shorn, he was entered a
monk at Redding. Within a little time after, King Henry,
calling to mind what Prince Rhys had committed during
his absence from the kingdom, drew up a great army
against South Wales, and having marched as far as Pen-
cadyr, near Brecknock, Rhts met him and did his homage ;
and delivering up hostages for his future behaviour, f he
stopped the king's progress, so that thence he returned to
England. After the king's departure, two very unhappy
affairs occurred in Wales ; Eineon the son of Anarawd ap
Gruffydh, nephew to Prince Rhys, being villainously mur-
dered in his bed by his own servant, called Walter ap
Lhywarch ; as also Cadwgan ap Meredith, in like manner,
by one Walter ap Riccart : but the loss of his nephew
Prince Rhys made up, by possessing himself of that large
country called Cantref Mawr, and the land of Dynefawr,
which he afterwards enjoyed. Of men of learning there
died this year, Cadifor ap Daniel, Archdeacon of Cardigan ;
and Henry ap Arthen, the greatest scholar that had
flourished in Wales for many years.

A. D. lies. The next year, a total rupture broke forth betwixt the
English and Welsh ; Prince Rhys,} a man of an active and
uncontroulable spirit, being now aware by experience that
he could not sustain the greatness of his quality, with such
lands as the King of England had allotted him, made an
invasion into the Lordship of Roger de Acre, Earl of
Gloucester; being moved thereto, in a great measure, by
reason that his nephew Anarawd ap Gruffydh was murdered
at that Earl's instigation. Having advanced with a strong
army into the Earl of Gloucester's estate, without any great
opposition he took Aberheidol castle,§ with those be-
longing to the sons of Wyhyaon, which he rased to the

ground

* Garreg Hova, six miles from Oswestry, in the parish of Llanymynech, which part of
that parish lies in the county of Denbigh.

f Welsh Chron.p. 220. J Rhys ap Gryffydh.

§ On the conflux of the rivers Rheidol and Ystwyth.

HISTORY OF WALES. 173

ground. Thence he marched to Cardigan, bringing all
that country under his subjection; and from thence he
marched against the Flemings, whose country he cruelly
harassed with fire and sword. The rest of the estates of
Wales, perceiving Prince Rhys to prosper so successfully
against the English, thought they might equally succeed,
and shake off the English yoke, by which they were un-
reasonably oppressed. Therefore they unanimously agreed
to cast off their subjection to the English, whose tyranny
they could no longer bear, and to put over them princes of
their own nation, whose superiority they could better
tolerate, and so this year concluded with making suitable
preparations for the following campaign.

As soon as the time of year for action was advanced, A. D. 1164.
David, son of Owen, Prince of North Wales, fell upon
Flintshire, which pertained to the King of England ; and
carrying off all the people and cattle with him, brought
them to Dyffryn Clwyd, otherwise Ruthyn-land.* King
Henry understanding this, gathered together his forces, and
with all speed marched to defend both his subjects and
towns from the incursions and depredations of the Welsh.
Being come to Rhuddlan or Rhuthlan and encamped there
three days, he soon perceived he could effect no great
measure, because his army was not sufficiently numerous ;
and, therefore, he thought it most advisable to return back
to England, and to augment his forces, before he should
attempt any thing against the Welsh :f and accordingly he
levied the most chosen men throughout all his dominions
of England, Normandy, Anjou, Gascoyne, and Guienne,
besides obtaining aid from Flanders and Britanriy, and then
set forward for North Wales, purposing to destroy without
mercy every living thing he could possibly meet with ; and
being advanced as far as Croes-Oswalt, called Oswestry, he
encamped there. On the other side, Prince Owen and his
brother Cadwalader, with all the strength of North Wales;
Prince Rhys with those of South Wales ; Owen Cyfeilioc
and Madawc ap Meredith with all the power of Powys ; the
two sons of Madawc ap Ednerth, with the people living
betwixt the rivers of Severn and Wye, met together, and
pitched their camp at Corwen in Edeymeon, intending
unanimously to defend their country against the King of
England. King Henry understanding that they were so
near, was very desirous to come to battle ; and to that end
he removed to the banks of the river Ceiriog,J causing all

the

* WeIshChron.p.221.

f Brompton Chron. sub ann. 1165. Chronica Gervasii, p. 1398. Giraldus Cambrensis
Itin. lib. ii. cap. 10.

J A river in the county of Denbigh, which runs through a vale of that name.

174 HISTORY OF WALES.

the woods thereabouts to be cut down, for fear of any
ambushment lurking therein, and for a more clear prospect
of the enemy :* but some of the Welsh took advantage of
this opportunity, and being well acquainted with the pas-
sage, without the knowledge of their officers, fell upon the
king's guard, where all the pikemen were posted; and after
a hot skirmish, several were slain on both sides : in the end,
however, the king won the passage, and so marched on to
the mountain of Berwyn, where he lay some time without
any hostility on either side, both armies standing in fear of
each other. The English kept the open plains, and were
afraid to be entrapped in the straits and narrow passages ;
and the Welsh on the other hand watched the advantage of
the place ; and observed the English so narrowly, that
neither forage or victuals could pass to the king's camp ;
and what augmented the misery of the English army, there
happened to fall a tremendous rain, that overflowed their
encampment, in so much that with the slipperiness of the
hills, the soldiers could scarcely stand ; eventually King
Henry was forced to decamp, and after a very considerable
loss of men and ammunition, besides the great charges of
this expedition, was compelled to return back to England.
To express how much dissatisfaction he entertained at this
enterprize, he in a great fury caused to be plucked out the
eyes of the hostages, that he had some time before received
from the Welsh; which were Rhys and Cadwalhon, the
sons of Owen Prince of North Wales, and Cynric and
Meredith, the sons of Rhys of South Wales. f Some
write, that in assailing a bridge, in this expedition, the
king was in no small danger of his life : one of the Welsh
having aimed directly at him, would have pierced him
through the body, had not Hubert de Clare, Constable of
Colchester, who perceived the arrow coming, thrust himself
betwixt the king and it, although to the loss of his own
life.*

Though King Henry was shamefully forced to return to
England, yet he did not give up the idea of subduing the
Welsh ; and therefore, after a long consultation, he made a
third expedition into Wales, conveying his army by sea as
far as Chester. There he staid for some time, till all his

fleet

* Welsh Chron. p. 221.

f Holinshead's Chron. p. 73, says that, " besides those above-mentioned, he caused the
sons and daughters of several lords to be treated with the same severity, ordering the
eyes of the young striplings to be pecked out of their heads, and the ears of the young
gentlewomen to be stuffed."

t Welsh Chron. p. 222. —Holinshead's Chron. p. 73, says, " This accident happened at
the siege of Bridgenorth."

HISTORY OF WALES. 175

fleet, as well those ships that he had hired out of Ireland as
his own, were arrived : but when they were all come together
and got safely to Chester, his mind was altered; and
instead of a design against Wales, he unexpectedly dismissed
his whole army. Prince Rhys was glad of this opportunity,
and therefore withdrawing his forces from the confederate
army, he marched to the siege of Aberteifi castle, which
being surrendered to him, he rased it to the ground. From
thence he got before Cilgerran,* which he used after the
same manner, and therein took prisoner Robert the son of
Stephen, his cousin-german, who was the son of Nest his
aunt, and who after the death of Gerald had married Stephen
Constable. The joy of these successes on the part of the
Welsh was somewhat clouded by the death of Lhewelyn,
son of Owen Prince of North Wales, a person of great
worth, and exceedingly well beloved of all his countrymen.

The Welsh being now somewhat secure from any inva- A, D. 1165.
sion from the English, there rose up another enemy to
create them disturbance; the Flemings and Normans, find-
ing the English had failed in their attempt against the
Welsh, thought they might with better success invade and
subdue them; and therefore they came to West Wales
with a great army, and laid siege to the castle of Cilgerran,
which Rhys had lately fortified; but after two different
assaults, they were manfully beat back and forced to depart
home again : however, what the Flemings could not effect
against the Welsh in South Wales the Welsh easily brought
about against the English in North Wales; for Prince
Owen having besieged Basingwerk castle, then in the pos-
session of the king of England, without much time spent,
made himself master of it.f It was, however, always the
misfortune of the Welsh, that when they found themselves
secure from any enemy abroad, they were sure to quarrel
and fall out at home ; though indeed it could not be other-
wise expected, where so many petty states endeavoured to
surmount and outvie each other. Now, therefore, when all
things went very successfully on their side, in opposition to
the English, two ambitious persons began to kindle a flame
in the bosom of their own country : Owen Cyfeilioc, the son
of Gruflfydh ap Meredith Lord of Powys, and Owen Fychan,
second son to Madawc ap Meredith, forcibly dispossessed
lorwerth Goch of his estate in Powys, which they divided
betwixt themselves, — Mochnan-uwch-Rayader to Owen
Cyfeilioc, and Mochnant-is-Rayader to Owen Fychan : but

the

* Situated on the banks of the river Tivi, near Caerdigan.
t Welsh Chron. p. 223.

176 HISTORY OF WALES.

A.D. 1166. the rest of the princes of Wales could not brook this injury
done to lorwerth Goch ; and therefore Owen Prince of
North Wales, with his brother Cadwalader, and Rhys
Prince of South Wales, went with an army into Powys
against Owen Cyfeilioc,* and, having chased him out of the
country, they bestowred Caereineon upon Owen Fychan, to
hold it of Prince Owen ; and Rhys had Walwern, by reason
that it lay near his own territories.f Within a while after,
Owen Cyfeilioc returned with a numerous band of Normans
and English along with him, and laid siege to the castle of
Caereineon, which he burnt to the ground : but the loss of
this place was made up by the taking of Rhuddlan castle,
which Owen, Rhys, and Cadwalader jointly besieged ;
and which was so strongly fortified, and so manfully
defended, that it cost them three months before they could
1176. make themselves masters of the place. Afterwards they
won the castle of Prestatyn, and reduced the whole country
of Tegengl subject to Prince Owen ; and then returned
home to their respective dominions. Henceforward nothing
of moment was transacted during the remainder of Prince
Owen's reign, only his son Conan most unmercifully slew
Urgency, Abbot of Lhwythlawr, together with his nephew

1168. Lhawthen : but a little after, Prince Rhys of South Wales
released out of prison his nephew Robert, son to Stephen
Constable, whom, as is said before, he had taken at the
siege of Cilgerran castle, and sent him to Ireland to the aid
of Dermot, the son of Murchart, King of Leinster, who was
then in actual war with the King of Leinster. With him
and his brother Morris Fitz-Gerald, and their nephews
Robert, Meyler, and Raymond, went over a strong detach-
ment of Welshmen, under the command of Richard Strong-
bow, Earl of Strigul, who were the chief movers of the
conquest of Ireland, when it was first brought in subjection
to the crown of England.

1169. But the next year, Owen Gwynedh, son of Gruflfydh ap
Conan, Prince of North Wales, departed this life in the
thirty-second year of his reign.:}: He was a wise and valour-
ous prince, ever fortunate and victorious in all his under-
takings, insomuch that he never undertook any design but
what he accomplished. He had by different women several
children, who got themselves greater esteem by their valour,
than by their birth and parentage. He had by Gwladus,

the

* Welsh Chron. pp. 223, 2-24.

f Brit. Ant. Reviv. by Vaughan of Hengwrt, pp. 5, 6.

J He was buried in the cathedral church of Bangorj and had by different women
twenty-one children.

HISTORY OF WALES. 177

the daughter of Lhywarch ap Trahaern ap Caradoc, lorwerth
Drwyndwn, or lorwerth with the broken nose, Conan,
Maelgon, and Gwenlhian; by Christian the daughter of
Grono ap Owen ap Edwyn, he had David, Roderic,*
Cadwalhon abbot of Bardsey, and Angharad afterwards
married to Gruffydh Maylor. He had by other women
several other children, as Conan, Lhewelyn, Meredith,
Edwal, Rhun, Howel, Cadelh, Madawc, Eineon, Cynwric,
Philip, and Ryrid Lord of Clochran in Ireland. OfHhese,
Rhun, Lhewelyn, and Cynwric died before their father; and
the rest will be mentioned in the sequel of this history. f

DAVID AP OWEN.

X RINCE Owen Gwynedh being dead, the succession
should of right have descended to his eldest legitimate son,
lorwerth Drwyndwn, otherwise called Edward with the
broken nose ; but by reason of that blemish upon his face,
he was laid aside as unfit to take upon hirii the government
of North Wales.J Therefore his younger brothers began
every one to aspire, in hopes of succeeding their father; but A.D. 1170.
Howel, who was of all the eldest, but base born, begotten
of an Irish woman, finding they could not agree, stept in
himself and took upon him the government. David, how-
ever, who was legitimately born, could riot brook that a
bastard should ascend his father's throne; and therefore
he made air the preparations possible to remove him.
Howel on the other hand was determined to maintain his
ground, and was not willing thus to deliver up what he so
recently got possession of; and so both brothers meeting
together in the field, were resolved to try their title by the
point of the sword. The battle had not lasted long before
Howel was slain ; and then David was unanimously pro-
claimed and acknowledged Prince of North Wales,§ which
principality he enjoyed without any molestation, till Lhe-
welyn, lorwerth Drwyndwn's son, came of age, as will
hereafter appear. It is said that Madawc, another of Owen
Gwynedh's sons, perceiving these contentions among his

brothers

N

* Lord of Anglesey. f History of Gwedir family, p. 3.

J He had however assigned him, for his maintenance, a part of his father's inheritance :
the cantrevs of Kanconwy and Ardudwy ; and resided at the caslle of Dolwyddelan,
situate in the county of Carnarvon. -History of Gwedir family, p. 7.— This prince was
afterwards obliged to take sanctuary at Pennant Melangel in Montgomeryshire, where he
died.

§ Welsh Chron p. 227.— Memoir of Gwedir family,'p. 7.

178 HISTORY OF WALES.

brothers for the principality, and that his native country was
likely to be embroiled in a civil war, deemed it more pru-
dent to try his fortune abroad ; and therefore departing from
North Wales when it was in this unsettled condition, he
sailed with a small fleet of ships, which he had rigged and
manned for that purpose, to the westward; and leaving
Ireland on the north, he came at length to an unknown
country, where most things appeared to him new and un-
common, and the manner of the natives far different to what
he had seen in Europe. This country, says the learned H.
Lhuyd, must of necessity be some part of that vast tract of
ground of which the Spaniards, since Hanno's time, boast
themselves to be the first discoverers ; and which, by order
of cosmography, seems to be some part of Nova Hispania
or Florida ; whereby it is manifest that this country was
discovered by the Britons, long before either Columbus
or Americus Vesputius sailed thither: but concerning
Madawc's voyage to this country, and afterwards his return
from thence, there be many fabulous stories and idle tales
invented by the vulgar, who are sure never to diminish from
what they hear, but generally add to any fable as far as
their invention will prompt them. However, says the same
author, it is certain that Madawc arrived in this country,
and after he had viewed the fertility and pleasantness of it,
he thought it expedient to invite more of his countrymen
out of Britain ; and therefore leaving most of those he had
already taken with him behind, he returned for Wales.
Being arrived there, he informed his friends what a fair and
extensive land he had met with, void of any inhabitants,
whilst they employed all their skill to supplant one another,
only for a rugged portion of rocks and mountains; and
therefore he persuaded them to change their present state of
danger and continual bickering for a place where they should
have ease and enjoyment : and having thus got a consider-
able number of the Welsh together, he bade a final adieu to
his native country, and sailed with ten ships back to those
he had left behind. It is therefore to be supposed, says our
author, that Madawc and his people inhabited part of that
country, since called Florida, by reason that it appears from
Francis Loves, an author of no small reputation, that in
Acusanus and other places, the people honoured and wor-
shipped the cross ; whence it may be naturally concluded
that Christians had been there before the coming of the
Spaniards; and who these Christians might be, unless it
were this colony said to be planted by Madawc, cannot be
easily imagined : but by reason that the Welsh who went

over

HISTORY OF WALES. 179

over were few in number, they intermixed in a few years
with the natives of the country, and so following their man-
ners and using their language, they became at length un-
distinguishable from the barbarians. The country which
Madawc landed in, is, by the learned Dr. Powel, supposed
to be part of Mexico : for which conjecture he lays down
these following reasons : — first, because it is recorded in the
Spanish chronicles of the conquest of the West Indies, that
the inhabitants and natives of that country affirm by tradition
that their rulers descended from a strange nation, which
came thither from a strange country, as it was confessed by
King Montezuma, in a speech at his submission to the King
of Castile, before Hernando Cortez, the Spanish general :
and further because the British words and names of places
used in that country, even at this day, undoubtedly denote
the same ; for when they speak and converse together, they
use this British word Gwrando, which signifies to hearken
or listen ; and a certain bird with a white head, they call
Pengwyn, which signifies the same in Welsh : but for a
more complete confirmation of this, the island of Coorooso,
the cape of Bryton, the river of Gwyndor, and the white
rock of Pengwyn, which are all British words, do manifestly
shew that it was that country which Madawc and his people
inhabited.*

As soon as the troubles of North Wales were over, and

Prince
N 2

* An additional proof is, the purport of a Letter to Dr. Jones, of Hammersmith, from
his brother in America :— " In the year 1797, a Welsh tradesman on the river Monanga-
hala, near Petersburgh, went down to the Ohio, and from thence up the Mississipi
to within 60 miles of the Missouri, to a town called Mazores. In the month of April, as he
chanced to be out among some Indians, he overheard two conversing about some skins
they had to sell or exchange, and from a word or two conceived their language to be
Welsh ; he listened for a few minutes and became convinced, though much corrupted
from its primitive purity. Notwithstanding, he resolved to endeat'our to converse with
them, and, to his great astonishment, found themselves mutually understood, with the
exception of some words either original or obsolete in Wales. He describes them to be
of a robust stature, and dressed from head to foot in the skins of some animals, but no
kind of shirts; their complexion was of a copper colour similar to other Indians, with
strong black hair, but no beard except about the mouth. By them he understood they
came from a long way up the Missouri, and had been about, three months coming to the
place where he found them. In consequence of the proceeding, John Evans, a young man
M'ell acquainted with the language, has been in quest of the Welsh Indians, but without
success, not having penetrated more than 900 miles up the Missouri, being compelled to
return in consequence of a war among the natives. It is conjectured that our Cambro-
Indians inhabit a territory nearly 1800 or 2000 miles up that river. A second trial was
meditated, but before it was executed John Evans died, consequently no new discovery
has been attempted."

In the Gentleman's Magazine of October, 1828, published by Nichols and Son, 25,
Parliament Street, London, we find the following account:— "A tribe of Americans,
about the 40th degree of north latitude, and the 45th west longitude, are said to possess
many curious manuscripts about an island named Brydon, from which their ancestors
long since came. Their language resembles the Welsh, and their religion is a sort of
mixed Christianity and Druidism. They know the use of letters, and are very fond of

180 HISTORY OF WALES.

A.D. 1171. Prince David was securely settled in his throne, a storm fell
upon Powys : for Owen Cyfeilioc, the lord of the country,
had always, as much as in him lay, opposed the interest and
advantage of Rhys Prince of South Wales; upon which
account Prince Rhys came with a great army against Powys,
and having subdued Owen Cyfeilioc his enemy, he was yet
so favourable to him, that upon his delivering him pledges
for his future behaviour, he immediately departed out of
Powys, and returned with much honour to South Wales.
The states of Britain being now all at perfect rest and amity
with each other, the scene of action removed to Ireland ; for
Henry King of England having called together all his
nobility, consulted with them about the Irish expedition,
which had already been determined upon. To this con-
sultation there came some messengers from Richard Strong-
bow Earl of Strigule, Marshal of England, to deliver up to
the king's hands the city of Dublin, the town of Waterford,
with all such towns and castles as he got in right of his wife ;
whereupon the king restored to him all his lands both in
England and Normandy, and created him Lord Steward
of Ireland, for this Earl of Strigule had very lately,
without obtaining the king's permission, gone over to
Ireland, and had married the daughter of Dermott King of
Dublin ; at which King Henry was so indignant, that he
immediately seized upon all his lands in England and Nor-
mandy. Therefore the king having now some footing in
Ireland, the expedition was unanimously concurred in ; and
the king having commenced his journey, was, on coming
towards Wales, received by Prince Rhys, at whose sub-
mission the king was so much pleased, that he confirmed to
him all his lands in South Wales. In return for the king's
favour, Rhys promised to his majesty three hundred horses
and four thousand oxen towards the conquest of Ireland ;
for the sure payment of which he delivered fourteen pledges.
Then King Henry, marching forward, came to Caerlheon
upon Ubk, and entering the town, dispossessed the right
owner, lorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc, and kept it for his
own use, placing a garrison of his own men therein : but
lorwerth was not so submissive as to endure tamely this
injustice of the king ; and therefore departing in great fury
from the king's presence, he called to him his two sons
Owen and Howel (whom he had by Angharad the daughter
of Uchtryd bishop of Llandaff), and his sister's son Morgan

ap

music and poetry. They still call themselves Brydones. It is generally believed that
they are descendants of some wandering Britons, expelled from home about the time of
the Saxons, and carried by wind and current to the great continent of the west, into the
heart of which they have been driven back by successive encroachments of modern
settler*."— P. 359.

HISTORY OF WALES. 181

ap Sitsylt ap Dyfnwal, and bringing together all the forces
they were able, upon the king's departure they entered the
country, and committing all kinds of waste and destruction
as they proceeded, they at last came before Caerlheon,
which town they took and despoiled in the like manner,
destroying whatever they could meet with ; so that nothing
escaped their fury, excepting the castle, which they could
not obtain. The king was in the mean time upon his journey
to Pembroke, where being accompanied by Prince Rhys, he
gave him a grant of all Cardigan, Ystratywy, Arustly, and
Elvil, in recompence of the civilities and honour that he
had done to him ; and so Rhys returned to Aberteifi, a town
he had lately won from the Earl of Gloucester, and there
having prepared his present, about the beginning of October
he returned again to Pembroke, having ordered eighty-six
horses to follow him ; which being presented to the king, he
accepted of thirty-six of the choicest, and returned the rest
with great thanks. The same day King Henry went to St.
David's, and after he had offered to the memory of that
saint, he dined with the bishop, who was the son of Gerald,
cousin-german to Rh$Ts ; and to this place Richard Strong-
bow Earl of Strygule came from Ireland to confer with the
king. Within a while after, King Henry being entertained
by Rhys at the White House, restored to him his son
Howel, who had been for a considerable time detained as a
pledge, and appointed him a certain day for payment of
tribute, at which time all the rest of the pledges should be
set at liberty.* The day following, being the next after the
feast of St. Luke, the king went on board, and the wind
blowing very favourably, set sail for Ireland, and being
safely arrived upon those coasts, he landed at Dublin;
where he rested for that whole winter, in order to make
greater preparations against the following campaign.

The change of the air and the nature of the climate, how-
ever, occasioned such a distemper and infection among the
soldiers, that to prevent the loss of his whole army, the king A. D. 11.72.
was forced to return with all speed to England ; and having
shipped off all his army and effects, he loosed anchor, and
landed in Wales in the Passion-week next year, and coming
to Pembroke, he staid there on Easter-day, and then pro-
ceeded upon his journey towards England. Rhys, Tiearing
of the king's return, was very solicitous to pay him his
devotion, and to be one of the first who should welcome him
over; and, meeting with him at Talacharn,* he performed all

the
* Welsh Chron. pp. 230, 231. f Talacharn, or Tal y earn,

182 HISTORY OF WALES.

the ceremonies of duty and allegiance.* Then the king
passed on, and as he came from Caerdyf, by the new castle
upon Usk, meaning to leave Wales in a peaceable condition,
he sent for lorwerth ap Owen ap Caradoc, who was the
only person in open enmity against him (and that upon very
just ground), requiring him to come and treat about a
peace, and assuring him of a safe conduct for himself, his
sons, and all the rest of his associates. lorwerth was
willing to accept of the proposal, and thereupon set forward
to meet the king, having sent an express to his son Owen, a
valourous young gentleman, to meet him by the way. Owen,
according to his father's orders, set forward on his journey,
with a small retinue, without any kind of arms or weapons of
war, as thinking it needless to burden himself with such
carriage, when the king had promised him a safe conduct :
but he did not find it so safe ; for as he passed the new
castle upon Uske,f the Earl of Bristol's men, who were
garrisoned therein, laid in wait for him as he came along,
and setting upon him in a cowardly manner, they slew him
with most of his company. Some few, however, escaped to
acquaint his father Torwerth of this treacherous action, who
hearing that his son was so basely murdered, contrary to the
king's absolute promise of a safe passage, without any farther
consultation about the matter, presently returned home with
Howel his son, and all his friends, and would not put trust
or confidence in any thing that the King of England or any
of his subjects promised to do : but, on the contrary, to
avenge the death of his son, who was so cowardly cut off, he
immediately raised all the forces that himself and the rest of
his friends were able to do, and entering into England, he
destroyed with fire and sword all the country, to the gates of
Hereford and Gloucester. { The king was so intent upon
his journey, that he seemed to take no great notice of wrhat
lorwerth was doing ; and, therefore, having by commission
constituted Lord Rhys Chief Justice of all South Wales, he
forthwith took his journey to Normandy. § About this time
died Cadwalader ap Gruffydh, the son of GrufFydh ap
Conan, sometime Prince of North Wales, who by his wife
Alice, the daughter of Richard Clare Earl of Gloucester,
had issue, Cunetha, Radulph, and Richard ; and by other
women, Cadfan, Cadwalader, Eineon, Meredith Goch, and
Cadwalhon. Towards the end of this year Sitsylht ap
Dyfnwal, and lefan ap Sitsylht ap Riryd, surprised the

castle

* WelshChron.p.232.
f The present Newport, in Monmouthshire.

J Welsh Chron. p. 232.
§ British Antiquities Revived, by Vaughan of Hengwrt, p. 23.

HISTORY OF WALES. 183

castle of Abergavenny, which belonged to the King of Eng-
land, and having made themselves masters of it, they took
the whole garrison prisoners.*

The following year, there happened a very great quarrel A. D. 1173.
betwixt King Henry and his son of the same name ; this
latter being upholden by the queen (his mother), his
brothers Geoffrey and Richard, the French King, the Earl
of Flanders, together with the Ear. of Chester, William
Patrick, and several other valiant knights and gentlemen :
but the old king having a stout and faithful army, consisting
of Almanes and Brabanters, was not in the least dismayed at
such a seeming storm ; and what made him more bold and
adventurous, he was joined by a strong party of Welshmen,
which Lord Rhys had sent him, under the command of his
son Howel. King Henry overthrew his enemies in divers
encounters, and having either killed or taken prisoners most
of those that had risen up against him, he easily dissipated
the cloud which at first seemed so black and threatening,
lorwerth ap Owen was not sorry to see the English falling
into dissentions among themselves; and, therefore, taking
advantage of such a seasonable opportunity, he drew his
army against Caerlheon, which held out very obstinately
against him. After many warm encounters lorwerth at
length prevailed, and entering the town by force, he took
most of the inhabitants prisoners ; and then laying siege to
the castle, it was surrendered in exchange for the prisoners
he had taken in the town. Howel his son at the same time
was busy in Gwent-is-Coed ; f and having reduced all that
country, excepting the castle, to subjection, he took pledges
of the inhabitants to be true and faithful to him, and to
withdraw their allegiance from the King of England. At
the same time, something of importance passed in North
Wales ; for David ap Owen Gwynedh, Prince of North
Wales, bringing an army over the river Menai into Angle-
sey, against his brother Maelgon, who kept that island from
him, he forced the latter to make his escape to Ireland ; oil
his return from whence, the following year, he was acci-
dentally discovered and seized, and then by his brother's
orders committed to close prison. Prince David having
brought the isle of Anglesey to its former state of sub-
jection to him, determined to remove all obstacles that
appeared likely to endanger its falling off from him; and
these he judged to be his own nearest relations, and there-
fore he expelled and banished all his brethren and cousins 1174.
out of his territories of North Wales: but before this

sentence

* Welsh Chron. p. 234. f Tn Monmouthshire.

184 HISTORY OF WALES.

sentence was put in execution, his brother Conan died, and
so escaped the ignominy of being banished his native country
for no other reason but the jealousy of an ambitious brother.
About the same time, Howel the son of lorwerth ap
Owen of Caerlheon, took prisoner his uncle O\\enPencarn,
who was right heir of Caerlheon and Gwent; and thus
having secured him, in order to prevent his getting any
children to inherit those places which himself was next heir
to, he first directed his eyes to be pulled out, and then that
he should be castrated : but vengeance did not permit such
a base action to go unpunished ; for upon the Saturday
following, a great army of Normans and Englishmen came
unexpectedly before the town, and took both it and the
castle, notwithstanding all the opposition which Howel and
his father lorwerth made ; though this last was not privy to
his son's cruel action. About the same time King Henry
came over to England, and a little after his arrival, William
King of Scots, and Roger de Moubray, were taken prisoners
at Alnewike by the Barons of the north, as they came to
destroy the northern part of the country in the name of the
young King. But old King Henry having committed them
to the safe custody of the Earl of Leicester, and pardoned
Hugh By god Earl of Chester, who had submitted to him,
he returned to Normandy with a very considerable army
of Welshmen, which David Prince of North Wales had sent
him i in return for which, he gave him his sister Emma in
marriage.* When he was arrived in Normandy, he sent a
detachment of the Welsh to cut off some provisions that
were on their way to the enemy's camp ; but in the mean
time the French King came to a treaty of peace, which was
shortly afterwards concluded upon ; so that all the brethren
who had during this time maintained such an unnatural
rebellion against their father, were forced to ask the old
king's forgiveness and pardon for all their former mis-
demeanours. David Prince of North Wales began to grow
very bold and assuming, in consequence of his new alliance
with the King of England ; and nothing would serve him,
but he must put his brother Roderic in prison, and secure
him with fetters, for no other reason than because he
demanded his share of his father's lands. It was the custom
of Wales, as is before stated, to make an equal division of
the father's inheritance between all the children; and,
therefore, David had no colour of reason or pretence to
deal so severely with his brother, unless it were to verify the
proverb — Might overcomes right. Though Prince David

could
* By this princess David had a son named Owen.— See Hist, of Gwedir Family, p, 12.

HISTORY OF WALES. 185

could depend much upon his affinity with the King of Eng-
land ; yet Rhys Prince of South Wales gained his favour
and countenance still more, because he let slip no oppor-
tunity to further the king's interest and affairs in Wales, and
by that means was a very necessary and useful instrument in
keeping under the Welsh, and in promoting the surer settle-
ment of the English in the country — not that he bore any
affection to either King Henry or his subjects, but because
he was sufficiently rewarded for former services, and was
still in expectation of receiving more favours at the king's
hands ; and he was resolved to play the politician so far, as
to have more regard to his own interest than to the good of
his native country. What ingratiated him with King Henry
most of all was this : upon the feast of St. James he brought
all such lords of South Wales as were at enmity with the
king, to do him homage at Gloucester ; namely, Cadwalhon
ap Madawc of Melyenyth, his cousin-german ; Eineon Clyt
of Elvel, and Eineon ap Rhys of Gwerthrynion, his sons-in-
law ; Morgan ap Caradoc ap lestyn of Glamorgan ; GrufFydh
ap Ifor ap Meiric of Sengennyth, and Sitsylht ap Dyfnwal of
Higher Gwent, all three his brothers-in-law (having married
his sisters); together with lorwerth ap Owen of Caerlheon.
King Henry was so much pleased with this act of Rhys,
that notwithstanding these persons had been his implacable
enemies, he readily granted them their pardon, and received
them to favour ; and restored to lorwerth ap Owen the town
and castle of Caerlheon, which he had unjustly taken from
him.

This reconciliation betwixt King Henry and these Welsh A.D. 1175.
lords some of the English in Wales took advantage of, and
more particularly William de Bruce Lord of Brecknock,
who for a long time had had a great desire to obtain Gwent-
land, but could not bring about his design, because Sitsylht
ap Dyfnwal, the person of greatest sway and power in the
country, was an inveterate enemy to all the English : but he
being now reconciled to the King, William de Bruce, under
pretence of congratulating him on this new peace and
agreement between the English and Welsh, invited Sitsylht
and Geoffry his* son, with several others of the persons of
chief note in Gwentland, to a feast in his castle of Aberga-
venriy, which by composition he had lately received from
them. Sitsylht, with the rest, came according to appoint-
ment, and without the least suspicion of any treasonable
design : but after they had been civilly entertained for some
time, William de Bruce, to move a quarrel against them,
began at last to propound certain articles to them, to be by

them

186 t HISTORY OF WALES.

them kept and performed ; and among other unreasonable
conditions, they were to swear that none of them should
at any time carry with them bow or sword. The Welsh
refusing to consent to and sign such improper articles as
these, William de Bruce presently called out his men, who
were ready for that purpose, and bidding them fall to their
business, they most treacherously fell upon and slew the
innocent and unarmed Welsh :* and as if this act did not
sufficiently express Bruce's cruelty and inhumanity, his men
immediately went to Sitsylht's house, which stood not far
from Abergavenny, and taking hold of Gwladus his wife,
they slew her son Cadwalader before her face, and then
setting fire to the house, they took her away to the castle. f
This execrable murder being thus most barbarously and
(which was worst of all) under pretence of kindness com-
mitted, William de Bruce, to cloak his treason with some
reasonable excuse, and to make the world believe it was not
for any private interest or expectation he had done such an
act as he knew would be by all men abhorred, Caused it to
be reported that he had done it in revenge of the death of
his uncle Henry of Hereford, whom the Welsh on the
Easter-Even before had slain. Whilst these things passed
in South Wales, Roderic, brother to David Prince of North
Wales, made his escape out of prison, and fleeing to Angle-
sey, he was received and acknowledged by all the country
on that side the river Conway for their lord and prince ;
which they were the more willing to do because they had
conceived an utter abhorrence of Prince David, who, con-
trary to all rules of equity, and almost nature, had disinhe-
rited the whole of his brethren and cousins, relying upon his
affinity and relation to the king of England. David, per-
ceiving the storm to grow very violent, and that the inhabit-
ants of the country flocked in numbers and adhered to his
brother Cadwalader, thought it best to wait awhile till the
storm was abated, and so retired over the river Conway. §
Towards the end of this year, Cadelh, the son of Gruffydh
ap Rhys and brother to Lord Rhys, after a tedious fit of
sickness, having taken upon him the Monkish order, de-
parted this life, and his body was very honourably interred
at Stratflur.

A. D. 1176. In the spring of the following year died also David
Fitz-Gerald, Bishop of Menevia or St. David, whose see
was supplied by one Piers, being nominated thereunto by
the king of England : but what happened most remarkable

this

* Matthew Paris, p. 110. f Welsh Chron. pp. 236, 237.

§ Welsh Chron. pp. 236, 237.

HISTORY OF WALES. 187

this year was, that the Lord Rhys, Prince of South Wales,
made a very great feast at Christmas in his castle of Aber-
teifi, which he caused to be proclaimed through all Britain,
Ireland, and the islands adjacent, a considerable time before;
and according to their invitation, many hundreds of English,
Normans, and others coming to Aberteifi, were very honour-
ably received and courteously entertained by Prince Rhys.
Among other tokens of their welcome and entertainment,
Rhys caused all the bards or poets throughout Wales to
come thither ; and for a better diversion to the company, he
provided chairs to be set in the hall, in which the bards
being seated, they were to answer each other in rhyme, and
those that acquitted themselves most handsomely and out-
vied the rest were promised great rewards and rich presents.
In this poetical competition, the North Wales bards ob-
tained the victory, with the applause and approbation of the
whole company; and among the professors of musick, be-
tween whom there was no small strife, Prince Rhys's own A.D. 1177.
servants were accounted the most expert. Notwithstanding
this civil and obliging treatment of Prince Rhys, the Nor-
mans upon the marches resorted to their accustomed manner
of treacherously way-laying and privately assaulting the
harmless and undesigning Welsh; and in consequence,
Eineon Clyt, son-in-law of Rhys, and Morgan ap Meredith,
falling into the net which the Normans had deceitfully laid
for them, were treacherously murdered : therefore, to keep
the Normans under greater awe for the future, Prince Rhys
built a castle at Rhayadr Gwy, being a place where the
river Wye falls with much noise and precipitation down a
great rock. This castle promised to be required to stand 1179.
him in a double stead; for soon after he had finished it, the
sons of Conan ap Owen Gwynedh made war against him,
but finding upon trial that their design against Rhys was
impracticable, they thought it most advisable to retire back
to North Wales.

The next year, Cadwalader, brother to Owen Gwynedh, 1179.
and uncle to David and Roderic, who for fear of his brother
had some time ago fled for refuge to the king of England, as
he was being conveyed home by some of the king's servants,
to enjoy his patrimonial estates in Wales, was by those
barbarous and treacherous villains murdered on his journey.*
This year the sepulchre of the famous and noble British
King Arthur, with his wife Gwenhofar (by the means of

some

* All the persons concerned in the murder were condemned to the gibbet. — Matthew
Paris, p. 116, says it was Cadwalhon that was murdered ; but he was slain before the
death of his father. —See Memoirs of Gwedir Family, p. 1. Welsh Chron. p. 238.

188 HISTORY OF WALES.

some Welsh bard whom King Henry had heard at Pem-
broke relate in a song the worthy and mighty acts of that
great prince and the place where he was buried), was found
in the isle of Afalon, without the Abbey of Glastonbury,
their bodies being laid in a hollow elder tree, buried 15 feet
in the earth. The bones of King Arthur were of marvel-
lous and almost incredible size, and there were ten wounds
in the skull, whereof one being considerably larger than the
rest seemed to have been his death-blow ; and the Queen's
hair appeared to the sight to be fair and yellow, but when
touched, crumbled immediately to dust. Over the bones
was laid a stone, with a cross of lead, upon the lower side of
which stone were engraven these words :

HIC JACET SEPULTUS JNCLYTUS REX ARTHURUS IN INSULA
AVALONIA.

Here lies buried the famous King Arthur in the isle
of Afalon.

No action of moment had passed in Wales for a consider-
able time, and the Welsh were in perfect amity and concord
with the king of England ; but an unlucky accident fell qut
at length to dissolve this happy agreement. One Ranulph
A.D. H82.de Poer, who was sheriff of Gloucestershire, or rather (as
Giraldus Cambrensis observes) of Herefordshire, being a
cruel and unreasonable oppressor of the Welsh, put the
Lord of Gwentland to death ; in revenge of whom a certain
young person of that country set upon Ranulph with several
other gentlemen his companions, and slew them to a man.*
King Henry was so much enraged on hearing of it, that he
immediately raised and assembled all his power, and came
to Worcester, intending to march forward to Wales and
invade the country : but Lord Rhys ap Gruffydh, a subtle
and politic prince, thinking it impossible to withstand the
English army, and fearing the king's power and determina-
tion, which he perceived to be so implacably bent against
the Welsh, went in person to Worcester, and swearing
fealty to the king, became his perpetual liege-man; and for
the due performance of this contract, he promised to send
his sons and nephews for pledges. f When, however, he
would have persuaded them to answer his request, the
young men considering with themselves that former pledges
had not been very well treated by the English, refused to
go,J and so the whole matter rested for that time : what

became

* Giraldus Cambrensis Itin. lib. i. c. 6.— Roger Hovedon, p. 617.
t Holinshead, p. 108.— Benedict. Abbas, vol. ii. p. 411.— Welsh Chron. p. 240.

Ibid.

HISTORY OF WALES. 189

became of the affair afterwards we know not; but it is
probable that King Henry returned to England satisfied
with Rhys's submission, for we hear no more of his expedi-
tion to Wales; and so the country remained undisturbed
for a long time, till at length the Welsh began to fall to
their wonted method of destroying one another. Cadwala- A-D-
der, son of Prince Rhys, was privately murdered in West
Wales, and buried in the Ty Gwyn. The year following, ii87.
Owen Fychan, the son of Madawc ap Meredith, was slain
by night in the castle of Carreghova, near Oswestry, by
Gwenwynwyn and Cadwalhon, the sons of Owen Cyfeilioc :
but what was most unnatural of all, Lhewelyn (whose father,
Cadwalhon ap Gruffydh ap Conan, was lately mnrdered by
the Englishmen) was taken by his own brothers, who bar-
barously put out his eyes. About the same time, Baldwyn,
Archbishop of Canterbury, attended by Giraldus Cam-
brensis, took a progress into Wales, being the first Arch-
bishop of Canterbury which visited that country; whose
authority the clergy of Wales in vain opposed, though they
obstinately alleged the liberties and privilejges of their metro-
politan church of St. David. In this visitation, described
by Giraldus in his Itinerarium Cambria?, he persuaded
many of the nobility of Wales to go to the Holy Land,
against those enemies of Christianity the Saracens, to whose 1188.
power Jerusalem itself was now in great danger of becoming
subject. The Archbishop having left the country, Maelgon,
the son of Lord Rhys, brought all his forces against Ten-
by, and making himself master of it, he burnt the whole
town to the ground, and carried away considerable spoil.
Maelgon was a person of such civil behaviour and easy
access, of so comely personage, and of such honesty in all
his actions, that lie attracted the most earnest love and
affection of all his friends ; by which means he became very
terrible and formidable to his enemies, especially the
Flemings, over whom he obtained several victories.

The next year, being the year of Christ 1189, Henry the 1189.
Second, surnamed Courtmantle, King of England, died,
and was buried at Fonteverard; after whom, his son
Richard, called Coeur de Lion, was by the unanimous con-
sent of all the nobility of England crowned in his place.
Prince Rhys being thus deprived of his greatest friend,
thought it most wise to make the best provision he could
for himself, by enlarging his dominions, and extending the
bounds of his present territories; and therefore, having
raised all the strength he could, he took the castles of
Seynclere, Abercorran, and Lhanstephan; and having taken

and

190 HISTORY OF WALES.

and committed to prison Maelgon his son, who was the
greatest thorn in his side, and one that was most passion-
ately beloved by the men of South Wales, he brought the
A.D. 1190. whole country to his subjection. Then he built the castle
of Cydwely; but the joy of all this good fortune was taken
from him by the loss of his daughter Gwenlhian, a woman
of such incomparable beauty, and so far excelling in all
feminine qualifications, that she was accounted the fairest
and most accomplished lady in all the country. Soon after

1191. her died Gruffydh Maylor, Lord of Bromfield,* a man of
great prudence and experience, and one that excelled all the
nobility of his time in hospitality, and in all other acts of
generosity and liberality. His corpse was carried to
Meivod, and honourably interred there, being attended by
most of the persons of quality throughout the whole coun-
try. He had issue by his wife Angharad, daughter of
Owen Gwynedh Prince of North Wales, a son called
Madawc, who succeeded his father in that part of Powys,
called from him Powys Fadawc. Rhys, Prince of South
Wales, was growing very powerful, and had made himself
master of the greatest part of South Wales, excepting
Dynefawr, with some few other places which still held out.
Dynefawr, however, upon the first assault he made against
it, was delivered up to him : but as he increased in the
number of towns and castles, he had the misfortune to have
that of his children diminished ; for his daughter Gwenlhian
was lately deceased ; and now he had no sooner got Dyne-
fawr castle into his possession, than his son Owen died at
Strata Florida, otherwise called Ystratflur. King Richard
was gone to the Holy Land against the Saracens ; but on
his return to England, he obtained the kingdom of Cyprus,
and gave it to Guido King of Jerusalem, upon condition he
would resign his former title to him : during his stay in this
island, he married Berengaria the daughter of the King of
Navarre.

1192. Maelgon, son of Prince Rhys, had been now detained a
long time in the prison where his father had shut him up ;
but being at last utterly weary of his close confinement, he
found means to make his escape. His father Prince Rhys
was not so much troubled at Maelgon having escaped and
obtained his liberty, as at his being obliged to give over the
career of conquest which all this while he had gone so
furiously on with ; but laying siege to Lhanhayaderi castle
he took it without any great opposition, and brought all the

country

* He was.the son of Madoc ap Meredith, the son of Bleddyn ap Cynvyn, and was lord
of the two Bromfields and Mochnant-is-Rhaiadcr.

HISTORY OF WALES. 19!

country thereabout to bis subjection. What favoured him
more in his attempts against the English was this, King
Richard having signalized himself greatly against the
infidels, in his return home through Austria, was taken
prisoner by Duke Leopold, who presented him to the
Emperor Henry, who demanded 200,000 marks for his A. D. 1193.
ransom, laying to his charge, that he had spoiled and
plundered the island of Sicily in his voyage to the Holy
Land; and Rhys took the advantage of King Richard's
absence to subject South Wales ; so Roderic brother to
David Prince of North Wales, made use of the aid of
Gothrik, the King of Man, to get the principality of North
Wales to himself, and eject his brother; and, therefore,
entering into Anglesey, he quickly reduced the whole island
to his subjection ; but he did not enjoy it long, for before
the year was over, the sons of his brother Conan came with
an army against him, and forcing him, together with the
king of Man, to flee from the island, they took immediate
possession of it themselves. While these things were done
in North Wales, Maelgon, son of Prince Rhys of South
Wales, who lately escaped from prison, besieged Ystrad-
meyric castle, and after but little opposition got it into his
own hands upon Christmas night ; which encouraged him
to farther attempts. At the same time, his brother Howel
(surnamed Sais, or the Englishman, because he had served
for some time under the king of England), another son of
Prince Rhys, obtained by surprise the castle of Gwys, and
having secured Philip de Gwys the owner, with his wife
and two sons, he made them all prisoners of war. Then
the two brothers, Howel and Maelgon, joined their forces ;
but fearing that they had more castles than they were able
to defend, they deemed it expedient to rase Lhanhayaden
castle, which the Flemings having notice of, they gathered
all their power together, and coming to Lhanhayaden at the
day appointed, they unexpectedly set upon the Welsh, and
slew a great number of them. Notwithstanding this un-
happy occurrence, they persisted in their determination to
destroy the castle, and so coming to Lhanhayaden the
second time, they rased it to the ground without any
molestation. When Anarawd, another son of Prince Rhys,
saw how prosperously his brothers succeeded, he thought
to make himself as rich as they, and by a shorter and easier
method ; and therefore having, under a pretence of friend-
ship and regard, got his brothers Howel and Madawc in
private, being moved with ambition and covetousness to
enjoy their estates, he first made them prisoners and then

very

192 HISTORY OF WALES.

very unnaturally pulled out their eyes: but Maelgon
escaped this snare, and hearing what a foul action was com-
mitted, he promised his brother Anarawd the castle of
Ystradmeyric in exchange for the liberty and release of his
A. D. 1194- two brothers, which Anarawd granted. It is, however, no
wonder those brothers could be unnatural and cruel to one
another, when they could join together in rebellion against
their father ; for Prince Rhys having rebuilt the castle of
Rhayadr Gwy, was waylaid and taken prisoner by his own
sons, who were afraid that if their father had them once in
his power, he would severely revenge their cruel and unna-
tural deeds : but Howel proved more kind and dutiful than
the rest ; for though he was blind, he found a way to let
his father escape out of Maelgon 's prison, and so Prince
Rhys being set at liberty, he took and destroyed the castle
of Dynefawr, which belonged to his son Maelgon : yet
notwithstanding he succeeded in his attempt, he lost another
castle elsewhere ; for the sons of Cadwalhon ap Madawc of
Melyenydh being informed that Prince Rhys was detained
prisoner by his son Maelgon, they besieged Rhayadr Gwy
castle, which being surrendered to them they fortified for
their own use.

Whilst these unhappy differences and unnatural contests
betwixt Prince Rhys and his sons continued and raged in
South Wales, a new revolution of affairs happened in North
Wales. Prince David had enjoyed the sceptre of North
W7ales for above twenty-four years, and it might have been
supposed that so long a possession would have made him
so secure in his throne that it could not be very easy to pull
him down : but possession is not always the best defence,
as was proved in Prince David's case at this time; for
Lhewelyn, the son of lorwerth Drwyndwn, who was the
eldest son of Owen Gwynedh, Prince of North Wales,
being now arrived to years of maturity, and having sense
enough to understand that he had a just title and claim to
the principality of North Wales, of which his uncle David
had so unjustly deprived him, he thought it high time to
endeavour to recover what was lawfully his own, which
however he was well persuaded his uncle David would
never easily part with : and therefore, being well assured
that the justness of his title would never advance him to the
throne, unless he had an army at his heels to support his
claim, he called together all his friends and relations by his
mother's side, who was Marred the daughter of Madawc ap
Meredith, Prince of Powys, and having secured the aid of
his cousins, the sons of Conan ap Owen Gwynedh and

Rhodri

HISTORY OF WALES. 193

Rhoclri ap Owen, he came into North Wales, proclaiming
that, contrary to all justice, his uncle David had first dis-
inherited his father lorwerth, and then had kept the govern-
ment from him who was the right heir: and though his
father lorwerth had been incapable of taking upon him the
government by reason of some infirmity ; yet there was no
reason that his father's weakness should exclude and deprive
him of his inheritance ; and, therefore, being now sensible
of that right which in his youth he had not so well under-
stood, he laid claim to the principality, which was justly his
own. There was no great need of inspiration to understand
his claim, nor of much rhetorick to persuade the people to
own him for their prince, for their affection had been
alienated from David ever since he had dealt so unnaturally
with his brothers, whom, after he had deprived of their
estates, he banished out of the country ; and therefore before
Lhewelyn could have expected any sure footing, the whole
country of North Wales was at his devotion, excepting cnly
three castles, which David, by the help of the English, on
whom, by reason of his affinity with the late King Henry,
he much depended, kept to himself. David being thus
deprived of almost all that he formerly possessed, we shall
account him no more among the princes of North Wales,
but trace the history of the principality as restored to the
true heir Lhewelyn ap lorwerth.

LHEWELYN AP IORWERTH.

J..JHEWELYN ap lorwerth, the son of Owen Gwynedh, A. D. 1194.
liaving thus successfully established his just claim to the .51h of
dominion of North Wales, and being quietly settled in the Rlchard L*
government thereof, Roger Mortimer marched with a strong
body to Melyenith, and built the castle of Cymarori, whereby
he reduced that country to his subjection, and forced thence
the two sons of Cadwalhon ap Madawc that were governors
thereof. About this time Rhys and Meredith, two valiant*
but undutiful sons of Prince Rhys, having got together a
body of hot-headed, daring soldiers, came before Dynefawr,
and took the castle that was garrisoned by their father's
men : hence they proceeded to Cantref-bychan, where the

inhabitants
o

* Tn the first year of King Richard's reign, Rhys ap Gruffydd came into England as
far as Oxford, conducted by the Earl of Moreton j and because the king would not
personally meet the said Rhys ap Gruffydd, as his father had done, he fjll into a passion
and returned to his own country.— Brady's History of England.

194 HISTORY OF WALES.

inhabitants civilly received them, and surrendered the castle
to them. At this their father was justly incensed, and there-
fore to put a stop to their farther proceedings, he en-
deavoured by all means to take them, which not long after
happened ; for their adherents being touched with the sense
as well of their treason against, as of their allegiance due to
their lawful lord Prince Rhys, and being anxious to atone
for their past faults, and to procure his future favour, they
betrayed their rebellious leaders to their offended father,
who immediately committed them to safe custody.
A. D. 1196. I'he ensuing year Prince Rhys levied a great army, whose
first attempt was upon the town and castle of Caermarthen,
both which he took in a short time and destroyed, and then
returned with considerable booty. Soon afterwards he led the
same army to the marches, and invested the castle of Clun,
which was not so easily taken as the former ; for this cost
him a long siege, and many a fierce assault ; and therefore
to be avenged, when he took it he laid it in ashes ; thence
he proceeded to the castle of Radnor, which he likewise
captured ; but immediately after it cost him a bloody battle ;
for he was no sooner master of the castle, but Roger
Mortimer and Hugh de Say came with a numerous
and well -disciplined army, consisting of Normans and
English, to the relief of it. Whereupon Prince Rhys
thinking it not his best course to confine his men within the
walls, led them up into a campaign ground hard by, and
there, like a valiant prince, resolved to give his enemies
battle, though they had much the advantage of him ; for his
men were neither so well armed, nor so much accustomed to
battle as the others were; however, their courage made
amends for their arms, and their leader's prudence and con-
duct supplied the defects of their discipline ; for they chose
rather to die honourably in the defence of their country,
than shamefully to survive the loss of it ; and therefore they
attacked their enemies so valiantly, that they were not long
able to withstand their force, but quitted the field in great
disorder, leaving a great number of their men slain upon
the spot; and Prince Rhj's pursued them so closely, that
they were glad of the shelter of the night to protect them
from his fury. After this victory he besieged the castle of
Payne in Elfel, which he easily took, and kept in his own
hands, till William de Bruce, the owner thereof, came to
him, and humbly desired peace of him, which he granted
him, and withal delivered him up his castle again.* Not
long after, the archbishop of Canterbury (whom King

Richard

* Welsh Chron. pp. 247, 248.

HISTORY OF WALES. 195

Richard had substituted his lieutenant in England) marched
with a powerful army towards Wales> and besieged the
castle of Gwenwynwyn, at Pool;* but the garrison made
such a vigorous defence, that he lost a great many of his
men, and all his attempts proved ineffectual ; therefore he
sent for some pioneers, whom he ordered to undermine the
walls ; which when the besieged understood, they en-
deavoured to secure themselves on the most honourable
terms they couldj being unwilling to put themselves to the
hazard of a battle, because their enemies were thrice their
number ; therefore they proposed to surrender up the
castle, on condition they should carry off all their arms
along with them : which offer the archbishop accepted, and
so permitted the garrison to march out quietly. Then
fortifying the castle for the king's use, and putting a strong
garrison in it for its defence, he returned again to England.
Gwenwynwyn, however, was not so willing to part with his
castle, as not to attempt the recovery of it ; therefore as soon
as he understood that the archbishop was gone back, he
immediately besieged it, and shortly afterwards received it
on the same terms that his men had delivered it up, and he
then kept it for his own use.f

The following year there broke out a terrible plague, A. D. 1197.
which spread over all Britain and France, and carried off a
great number of the nobility, besides common people. This
year likewise died the valiant Rhys, Prince of South
Wales :J the only stay and defence of that part of the princi-
pality, for he it was that obtained for them their liberty, and
secured it to them. He often very readily exposed his own
life for the defence of theirs and their country ; generally he
obtained the victory over his enemies^ and at last either
brought them entirely under his subjection, or forced them
to quit their country. He was no less illustrious for his
virtuous endowments, than for his valour and extraction ; so
that it was with good reason that the British bards and
others wrote so honourably of him, and so much deplored
his death.

To this prince were born many sons and daughters,
whereof his eldest son Gruffydh succeeded him : the others
were Cadwalhon, Maelgon, 'Meredith, and Rhys. Of his

daughters,
o 2

* Powys Castle, near Welsh Pool. — Roger Hovedon, p. 775*

t Welsh Chron.p.248.

J He was interred in the Abbey of Strata Florida (Ystrad Flur), in the county of
Cardigan, which he himself had erected ; and which became the burial-place of the
succeeding lords of his family.— Manuscript of Edward Llwyd, in Sir John Seahright's
Collection. Brit. Ant. Rev. by Vaughan of Hengwrt, p. 19. Welsh Chron. pp. 247, 248.

196 HISTORY OF WALES.

daughters, one called Gwenlhian was married to Ednyfed
Fychan, ancestor to Owen Tudor that married Katharine
queen-dowager to King Henry the Fifth : and the rest were
very well matched with some of the nobility of the country.
Prince Gruffydh being settled in the government of his
country, did not long enjoy it peaceably; for his trouble-
some brother Maelgon thought it now a fit time to endeavour
the recovery of the inheritance his father had deprived him
of. To this purpose he made a league with Gwenwynwyn,
the son of Owen Cyfeilioc, Lord of Powys, and by their
joint interest they got together a considerable body of men,
wherewith they surprised Prince Gruffydh at Aberystwyth,
whom, after they had slain a great many of his men, they
took prisoner. Thus Maelgon effectually accomplished his
design in the recovery of the castle, and the whole country
of Cardigan. His unfortunate brother he committed to the
custody of his malicious confederate Gwenwynwyn, who
immediately delivered him up to his inveterate enemies the
English. After this, Gwenwynwyn, having assembled to-
gether an army, entered Arustly, and brought it to his
subjection.

David ap Owen, whom Prince Lhewelyn had forced to
quit his usurpation of the principality of North Wales, had
hitherto lived quietly and peaceably, not so much out of
kindness to his nephew, as because he knew not how to
avenge himself; but now having assembled a great army of
English and Welsh, he used his utmost efforts to recover
his principality. Whereupon Prince Lhewelyn, who was
the right heir, and in possession of it, proceeded boldly to
meet him, and gave him battle, wherein he completely
routed his army, and took his uncle David prisoner, whom
he delivered into safe custody, whereby he secured to him-
self and his country peace and quietness. Towards the
close of this year, Owen Cyfeilioc,* lord of the Higher Powys,
departed this life, and left his estate to Gwenwynwyn his
son ; after whom that part of Powys was called Powys-
Wenwynwyn, to distinguish it from the other called Powys-
Fadoc, the inheritance of the lords of Bromfield. About
this time Trahaern Fychan, a man of great power and
authority in the county of Brecknock, was suddenly seized
upon as he was going to Llancors to confer about some
business with William de Bruce lord thereof, and by an
order of that lord, he was tied to a horse's tail and dragged
through the streets of Brecknock to the gallows, where he
was beheaded, and his body hung up by the feet for three

days ;
* This prince was a bard of some eminence j a few poems of his are extant at this day.

HISTORY OF WALES. 197

days ;* which barbarous indignity, inflicted on him for no
known just cause, so much alarmed his brother's wife and
children, that they fled their country for fear of the same
usage. The year following Maelgon, who had before routed A. D. 1198.
the army of his brother Prince Gruffydh, and taken him
prisoner, began to enlarge his territories, and included
therein his brother's castles of Aberteifi and Ystratmeyric.
The youngest son of Prince Rhys about this time also
recovered the castle of Dynefawr from the Normans.

The same summer, Gwenwynwyn resolved upon en-
deavouring to extend Wales to its ancient limits ; and for this
purpose he raised a powerful army, with which he first
designed to be avenged of William de Bruce for the inhuman
death of his cousin Trahaern Fychan, and therefore he
besieged his castle of Payne in Elfel,f where he made a
protestation, that as soon as he had taken it, for a farther
satisfaction of his revenge, he would unmercifully ravage the
whole country as far as Seyern : but these mighty menaces
were soon dissipated ; for he had neither battering engines
nor pioneers, so that he was forced to lay before the castle
for three weeks without effecting any thing; whereby the
murderers had time enough to apply themselves to England
for succours, which they obtained : for upon information of
their situation, Geoffrey Fitz-Peter,J Lord Chief Justice of
England, levied a considerable army, to which he joined all
the Lords Marchers, and came in all haste to the relief of
the place, where he met Gwenwynwyn ; with whom, before
he would hazard a battle, he was desirous to have a treaty
of peace, to which Gwenwynwyn and his adherents would
not give any attention, but returned in answer to his mes-
sage, that their business there was to be revenged of in-
juries that had been done to them. Hereupon the English
lords resolved to set at liberty Prince GrufFydh of South
Wales, whom they knew to be an inveterate enemy of
Gwenwynwyn, because he it was that delivered him up to
their hands ; and they likewise knew that he was a man of
great authority in his country ; therefore they rightly con-
cluded he might be more serviceable to them when at
liberty than under confinement, and therein they were not
disappointed; for he immediately got together a strong
body of his countrymen, and joining with the English,

advanced

* Welsh Chron. pp. 250, 251. Humffrey Lhuyd's Breviary, p. 70.

•f- In Radnorshire.

J Fitz Peter was an eminent character; he was dreaded by John, who yet dared not
to remove him from his great office. When John heard of his death, he exultingly
cried, « And is he gone then? Well, let him go to hell, and join Archbishop Hubert!
By God's foot, I am now, for the first time, king of England,"'— Matthew Paris.

198 HISTORY OF WALES.

advanced towards the castle, where they furiously attacked
Gwenwynwyn, who made an equally vigorous defence ;
upon which there ensued a bloody battle, with a great
slaughter on both sides, but at length the English got the
victory, and Gwenwynwyn lost a great number of common
soldiers (if we believe Matthew Paris,* 3700 men) besides
a great many of his best commanders, among whom were
Anarawd son of Eineon, Owen ap Cadwalhon, Richard ap
lestyn, and Robert ap Howel. Meredith ap Conan was
likewise taken prisoner, with many more. After this the
English returned home triumphantly, and requited Prince
Gruflfydh's service by restoring him to complete freedom,
who immediately, partly by his own power, and partly by
the affection of his people, re-possessed himself of all his
dominions, save the castles of Aberteifi and Ystratmeyric,
which his usurping brother Maelgon, by the assistance of
Gwenwynwyn, had, during his confinement by the English,
taken from him, and still unjustly detained. Hereupon,
some of Prince Gruffydh's prime nobility and clergy came
to him, and offered their endeavours to reconcile him to his
brother, and made him so apprehensive of his just dis-
pleasure towards him, that he took a solemn oath before
them, that in case his brother would give him hostages for
the security of his own person, he would deliver him up his
castle of Aberteifi by a day appointed ; which proposals
Prince Gruffydh accepted, and accordingly sent him his
demands ; but it was either far from Maelgon's intention to
make good his offer, or else he was very inconstant in his
resolution ; for he had no sooner received the hostages than,
instead of delivering up the castle, he fortified it, and put in
it a garrison for his own use, and committed the hostages to
the custody of Gwenwynwyn, Prince Gruffydh's mortal
enemy; but not long after, their innoceney procured them
an opportunity of escape.

A. D. 1199. In the year 1199, Maelgon, still pursuing his hatred of
his brother Prince Gruffydh, assembled an army, wherewith
he besieged his castle of Dynerth, which he obtained in a
short time, and then put all the garrison to the sword.
About the same time Prince Gruffydh, on the other hand,
won the castle of Cilgerran, and strongly fortified it. This
year Richard the First of England, as he was besieging the
castle of Chalonsf in France, was shot from the walls with
an arrow, of which wound he soon after died, and left his

kingdom

* Matthew Paris, p. 162.— Holinshead, p. 154.— Welsh Chron. p. 252, speaks of the
defeat, but not of the number slain.

t An inconsiderable town in Limosin.

HISTORY OF WALES. 199

kingdom to his brother John, who was with great solemnity
crowned at Westminster : but he could not have expected
to enjoy this kingdom peaceably; for his elder brother
Geoffrey Plantagenet had left a son behind him named
Arthur, who had a right to the crown of England by lineal
descent ; which he therefore justly laid claim to, and by the
assistance of King Philip of France (who espoused his
quarrel) endeavoured to recover. Before, however, Prince
Arthur had made sufficient preparations to carry on his
design, he was unexpectedly attacked by his uncle, his army
routed, and he himself taken prisoner, and committed to
safe custody ; not long after which he died, and thus King
John was rid of his competitor.

The following year Gruffydh ap Conan ap Owen Gwynedh A. D. 1200.
died, and was buried in a monk's cowl in the abbey of
Conway, which way of burying was very much practised
(especially by persons of high rank) in those days ; for the
monks and friars had deluded the people into a strong
conceit of the merits of it, and had firmly persuaded them it
was highly conducive to their future happiness to be thus
interred. This superstition, together with the propagators
of it, they had lately received from England : for the first
abbey or monastery we read of in Wales, after the destruc-
tion of the famous house of Bangor, which savoured of the
Jlomish errors, was the Ty-Gwyn, built in the year 1146;
after which they much increased and spread over all the
country ; and now the fountain head began to be corrupted ;
for the clergy maintained a doctrine which the£r ancestors
abhorred, as may easily be gathered from the writings of
that worthy divine Ambrosius Telesinus, who flourished in
tlie year MO, when the Christian faith (which we suppose to
have been delivered at the isle of Afalori by Joseph of
Arimathea) flowed in this land in a pure and uncorrupted
stream, before it was infected and polluted by that proud
and blood-thirsty monk Augustine. Ambrosius Telesinus
then wrote and left behind him as his own opinion, and
the opinion of those days, these following verses : —

Gwae'r offeiriad byd

Nys angreifftia gwyd

Ac ny phregetha :

Gwae ny cheidw ei gail

Ac ef yn fugail

Ac nys areilia ;

Gwae ni cheidw ei dhefaid

Rhae bleidhie Rhufeniaid

A'i ftbn gnwppa.

i. e

200 HISTORY OF WALES.

i. e. Woe be to the bishop who does not rebuke vice, and
give good example ; and who does not preach. Woe be to
him, if he does not keep well his fold, and be a shepherd,
and does not keep together and guard his sheep from
Romish wolves with his pastoral staff.

From whence it is apparent, that the Church of Rome
was then corrupt, and that the British churches persevered
in the primitive and truly apostolical profession of
Christianity, as it was at first planted in the island ; and
that no Roman innovations had crept in among them, though
they afterwards much increased, when they were introduced
by Augustine the monk.

This year likewise we find the malicious and turbulent
Maelgon, choosing rather to persist in his rebellion, than to
return to his allegiance, and to prefer a small lucre to the
love and safety of his country : for now finding that the
castle of Aberteifi was not tenable by his own power and
force, yet rather than deliver it up to his brother Prince
Gruffydh, and thereby procure his favour, he chose to sell
it to his bitter enemies the English, for an inconsiderable
sum of money, whereby he opened them a free passage into
Wales ; this being considered one of its' chief defences and
bulwarks. About this time Madawc, son of Gruffydh
May lor Lord of Bromfield, built the abbey of Lanegwest,
commonly known to the English by the name of Vale
Crucis.

A. D. 1201. In the year 1201, the valiant Lhewelyn ap lorwerth
Prince of North Wales, banished out of his territories his
cousin Meredith, the son of Conan ap Owen Gwynedh,
whom he suspected of treasonable practices, and therefore
confiscated his lands, which were the Cantrefs of Lhyn and
Efyoneth.* About the same time Meredith, the son of
Prince Rhys, was slain at Carnwilhion by treason, where-
upon his elder brother Gruffydh possessed himself of his
castle in Lhanymdhyfri and all his lands. This Gruffydh
was a valiant and discreet prince, and one that appeared
likely to bring all South Wales to good order and
obedience ; for in all things he trod in his father's steps,
and made it his business to succeed him as well in his
Valour and virtuous endowments, as in his government : but
the vast hopes conceived of him soon proved abortive ; for

A.D. 1202. in the ensuing year, on St. James's day, he died, to the great
grief and loss of his country, and shortly after was buried at
Ystratflur with great pomp and solemnity. He left behind

him

* The Cantrevsof Llun and Evionjdd, situate in the South West parts of Caernar-
vonshire.—History of fiwcdir Family, p. 20.

HISTORY OF WALES. 201

him 'as a successor a son called Rhys, which Maud, the
daughter of William de Bruce, had borne to him. The
following year some of the Welsh nobility marched writh an
army towards the castle of Gwerthrynion, which belonged
to Roger Mortimer, and after a short siege, they took it and
levelled it with the ground.

This year Lhewelyn ap lorwerth, having considered his
estate and title, and that all the Welsh princes were obliged,
both by the laws of Rocleric the Great and those of Howel
Dha, to acknowledge the King or Prince of North Wales
for their sovereign lord, and to do homage to him for their
dominions : and that, notwithstanding they knew this to be
their duty, and that they formerly had readily performed it ;
yet, because of late years his predecessors had neglected to
call them to their duty, they now began to imagine them-
selves exempted from it, and some thought themselves
accountable to no superior prince, while others denied
subjection to Prince Lhewelyn, and held their dominions of
the King of England : therefore, to put a stop to the further
growth of this contempt, and to assert his own right, Prince
Lhewelyn commanded the attendance of all the Welsh
lords, who for the most part appeared and swore allegiance
to him :* butGwenwynwyn, Lord of Powys, neither came to
this meeting, nor would own the prince's supremacy ; which
stubbornness and disobedience the prince acquainted his
nobility with, whereupon they delivered their opinion, that
it was but reasonable that Gwenwynwyn should be com-
pelled to his duty, or forfeit his estate : this all the lords
consented to, excepting Elis ap Madawc, who was an
intimate friend of Gwenwynwyn, and therefore would not
consent to the enacting any thing that might be prejudicial
to him, but went away from the meeting much dissatisfied
with their proceedings. Notwithstanding which, Prince
Lhewelyn, pursuant to the advice of the rest of his nobility,
raised an army and marched towards Powys : but before he
made any use of his forces, he was, by the mediation of
some learned and able men, reconciled to Gwenwynwyn,
and so Gwenwynwyn became his dutiful subject, which he
confirmed both by oath and in writing : and indeed it was
not without good reason that Prince Lhewelyn used all the
caution imaginable to bind this man, for he had sworn
allegiance before to the King of England. Lhewelyn
having thus subjected Gwenwynwyn, he thought it now a
proper time to shew some marks of his resentment towards
his adherent Elis ap Madawc, and therefore he stripped him

of
* British Ant. Rev. by Vaughan of Hcngwrt.

202 HISTORY OF WALES.

of all his lands, whereupon Elis fled the country, but not
long after, yielding himself to the prince's mercy, he
received of him the castle of Crogen, and seven townships
besides.* And now having mentioned Crogen, it will not
be improper to step a little out of the way, and here take
notice of the reason why the P^nglish formerly, when they
had a mind to reproach the Welsh, called them Crogens.f
The first occasion of it was this, King Henry the Second in
his expedition against the Welsh to the mountains of
Berwyn, lay a while at Oswestry, during which time he
detached a number of his men to try the passages into
Wales, who, as they would have passed OfiVs dyke at the
castle of Crogen, at which place there was a narrow way
through the same, which dyke appears now very deep
through all that country, and bears its old name ; these
men, I say, as they would have passed this strait, were met
by a party of Welsh, and a great many of them slain and
buried in that ditch, as appears by their graves there to be
seen ; and the name of the strait imports as much, being
called in Welsh Adwifr bedhau :% the English therefore,
bearing in mind this slaughter, whenever they got any of the
Welsh into their power, upbraided them with the name of
Crogen, intimating thereby that they should expect no
more favour or mercy at their hands, than they showed to
the English engaged in that skirmish : but this word, which
at first was rather a badge of reputation than disgrace to the
Welsh, came afterwards to be used in a different sense, and
to be applied only when it was intended to reproach and
abuse them. To return, however, to Prince Lhewelyn,
whom we find returning home after he had successfully
asserted his sovereignty over all Wales, and set all things in
good order ; and who on his way fortified the castle of Bala
in Penlhyn. About this time Rhys, the son of Gruffydh ap
Rhys, the lawful Prince of South Wales, took the castle of
Lhanymdhyfry, upon Michaelmas- Day. This year Lhewe-
lyn Prince of Wales took to wife Joan, the daughter of
King John, which Agatha, daughter of Robert Ferrers
Earl of Derby, bore to him, and with whom King John
gave the Prince for a dowry the Lordship of Ellesmere, in
the marches of Wales.g

This

* Welsh Chron. pp. 257, 258.

•f- It has been erroneously said, that the term Crogens was used in contempt and
derision of the Welsh ; but that was not the truth ; the English meant to express by it
animosity, and the desire of revenge. — Royal Tribes.

J AdwJ'r Beddau, or the Pass of the Graves.

§ History of Gwedir Family, p. 22. says she was a legitimate daughter. Fabian, in
his reign of John, says that she was a natural one. — Welsh Chron. p. 259.

Prince Llywelyn in his youth had married Tangwystl, daughter of Llywarch Goch,

HISTORY OF WALES. 203

This year prince Rhys, who in the preceding year took A. D. 1203.
the castle of Lhanymdhyfri, won likewise the castle of
Llangadoc, and put a garrison therein, but he enjoyed
neither of them long; for shortly after, his uncle Maelgon,
with his friend Gwenwynwyn, levied a powerful army, and
with it besieged and took the castle of Lhanymdhyfri;
thence they removed to Llangadoc, and obtained that castle .
also, on condition that the garrison should depart without
molestation. When they had taken these two castles, they
went to Dinerth, where Maelgon finished the castle he had
formerly begun there. This year likewise Prince Lhewelyn
set at liberty his uncle David ap Owen Gwynedh, who made
but an ungrateful return to his kindness; for instead of
living peaceably at home, and enjoying that liberty that was
granted him, he fled to England, and there gathered
together an army, wherewith he attempted to restore
himself to his ancient estate of North Wales; but he failed
in his project, for his prudent nephew immediately met him
on his march, and gave him a complete overthrow,* at
which David was so much disheartened, that he returned to
England, and shortly after died of grief.f The next year 1204.
Howel, a blind son of Prince Rhys, was slain at Cemaes, by
some of the followers of his brother Maelgon, and was
buried near his brother Gruffydh, at Ystratflur: notwith-
standing Maelgon in those days usurped all the rule of
South Wales, yet Rhys and the other sons of his brother
Gruffydh, won from him the chief defence of all that
country, namely, the castles of Dynefawr and Lhanymdhyfri.
About this time William Marshal Earl of Pembroke, 1205.
besieged the castle of Cilgerran, and took it ; and not long
afterwards, Maelgon hired an Irishman to kill Cadifor ap
Griffri ; after which horrid act, Maelgon seized upon his
four sons and put them to death ; these were all promising
young gentlemen and descended from a noble stock, for
their mother Susanna, was a daughter of the above-men-
tioned Howel ap Rhys, by a daughter of Madawc ap
Meredith Prince of Powys. In the year 1206, Maelgon 1206.
built a castle at Abereneon ; and in the same year there was
such an abundance of fish seen at Aberystwith, that the
like was never before known in the memory of man.

This

the Lord of Rhos : by whom he had a son, very brave, called Gruffydh ap Llywelyn.
He married during his father's life Sina daughter of Caradoc ap Thomas ap Roderic ap
Owen Gwynedh.— History of Gwedir Family, p. 24. — British Ant. Rev. by Vaughan of
Hengwrt, p. 29.

* Welsh Chron. p. 259.

t History of Gwedir Family, p. 13, says "Some time after, that unfortunate prince
with his son Owen were slain at Conway."

204 HISTORY OF WALES.

A. D. 1207. This year the King of England banished the realm
William de Bruce and his wife, on account of an antipathy
that he had conceived against his son, and then seized upon
all his lands : whereupon, William with his wife and son
fled to Ireland, and there continued for some time ; and the
hardship he now underwent was the less pitied, because he
exercised the great power he had possessed in the marches
of Wales with extreme cruelty and injustice. The same
year Gwenwynwyn came to Shrewsbury to confer with the
king's counsel, where he was detained prisoner:* where-
upon Prince Lhewelyn invaded his country, and took all his
towns and castles, and garrisoned them for his own use.
This expedition of Prince Lhewelyn much alarmed the
usurping Maelgon, and the more so, because he had in-
telligence that Lhewelyn was on his march towards South
Wales, therefore he now put himself in the best posture he
could to receive him, but finding himself not able to with-
stand his forces, he demolished the castles of Aberystwith,
Ystratmeyric, and Dinerth, which he had previously
fortified ; notwithstanding which, the Prince came to
Aberystwith, and rebuilt the castle and put a garrison
therein ; after this he seized upon the Cantref of Penwedic
and the land betwixt Dyfi and Aeron, which he gave to
Maelgon's nephews, the sons of Gruflfydh ap Rh$rs, and then
returned home with great joy and triumph. f Not long
afterwards, Rhys Fychan, son to Prince Rhys, besieged the
castle of Lhangadoc, and took it, contrary to the promise
and league he had made with his nephews, forgetting like-
wise how freely and readily they had assisted him in his
necessity ; therefore, to be avenged of this ingratitude and
breach of promise, Rhys and Owen no sooner heard of it,
than they furiously attacked the castle, and took it by
assault, and put to the sword, or took prisoners all the
garrison, and then burnt the castle to the ground.
1209. This year King John levied a powerful army, with which
he embarked for Ireland ; but as he was on the borders of
Wales on his journey thitherwards, there was a criminal
brought before him who had murdered a priest ; the officer
desired to know the king's pleasure as to the manner in
which he would have the delinquent punished; but the
king, instead of ordering any punishment to be inflicted
upon him suitable to the heinousness of his crime, discharged
him with a Well done, thou good servant, thou hast slain
mine enemy; for such he reckoned the clergy of those days,
who were very ill-affected to his usurped, arbitrary govern-
ment,

* Welsh Chron. p. 260. t Welsh Chron. p. 261.

HISTORY OF WALES. 205

ment, and therefore he slightly regarded any injuries that
were done them ; for, on the contrary, he thought they did
him good service that did them wrong. He had not been
long in Ireland, before he got into his power the unfortunate
William de Bruce the younger, and his mother Mawd de
Saint Valerike, whom we have mentioned before to have
quitted England for fear of him, and to have fled here for
shelter. On his return to England he brought these in
triumph along with him, and committed them to Windsor
castle, where, by his orders, they were soon afterwards
inhumanly famished.

According to Matthew Paris, the reason of King John's
displeasure against William de Bruce Lord of Brecknock
was this : — When the Pope had excommunicated the realm
of England, the king, to prevent any inconveniences that
might ensue thereupon, took pledges of such of his nobles
as he thought were disaffected to him, and would be likely,
if occasion offered, to countenance and promote a rebellion.
Amongst others, he sent messengers to William de Bruce to
demand his sons for pledges, to whom Mawd, de Bruce's
wife, being the readier speaker, answered, (though what she
said was no less her husband's sentiment than her own,) that
the king, who had proved so base a guardian to his nephew
Prince Arthur, whom instead of setting in, he deprived of
his right, should have none of her children. This answer
the messengers delivered to the king, whereat he was so
highly displeased, that he ordered some soldiers should be
sent to seize this lord ; but he having timely intelligence of
this order, fled into Ireland with his wife and children,
where now his wife Mawd, with her son, were unfortunately
taken by King John, but he himself escaped, and fled into
France, where he died soon afterwards.

This year the Earl of Chester rebuilt the castle of A. D. 1210.
Dyganwy, situate on the sea-shore and east of the river
Conway, which Prince Lhewelyn had demolished. He
likewise fortified the castle of Treffynon or St. Winifred.
Upon this Lhewelyn entered into the EarPs land, which
when he had ravaged as much as he deemed sufficient, he
returned home with considerable booty.* About this time,
Rhys Fychan, son to Prince Rhys, fearing lest Prince
Lhewelyn should fall upon him for the wrong he had done
to his nephews, whom he, Prince Lhewelyn, warmly, de-
fended in their right, made an application to the king of
England, who readily granted him what assistance he
desired; and with this aid he besieged the castle of Lhan-

ymdhyfri.
* Welsh Chron. p. 262.

20G HISTORY OF WALES.

ymdhyfri. The garrison for some time made a vigorous
defence ; but having no hopes of any relief, they thought it
their most prudent course to capitulate, and therefore they
desired that they might march out with their arms and
baggage, and all that belonged to them, which was granted
them. About this time Gwenwynwyn was set at liberty,
whom the king had hitherto detained prisoner, and the king
also lent him some forces to attempt the recovery of his
country, which Prince Lhewelyn had seized upon during
his imprisonment ; and though by hi» own strength he was
not able to cope with the Prince, yet by this assistance
granted him by the king, he soon re-possessed himself of
his dominions. This success of Gwenwynwyn encouraged
Maelgon likewise to endeavour the recovery of that part of
his country which the Prince had taken from him in the
same expedition ; and he made an application to the king
of England, and swore allegiance to him. Hereupon the
king granted him a considerable army, as well English as
Normans ; to these he joined what forces he could raise in
Wales; and then, contrary to the oath and agreement he
had made with his nephews Rhys and Owen, he in a
hostile manner entered their country. When he was come
to Cantred Penwedic, he encamped at Cilcenny, where he
staid some time to take measures for the better accomplish-
ment of his designs : by this time his nephews had got
together about 300 chosen well-disciplined men, but with
so small a number they durst not oppose their uncle's
numerous army in open field; therefore they endeavoured
to overthrow those by a stratagem which they could not do
by main force ; and herein they proved very successful, for
coming as near their enemies as they could without being
discovered, they sent out their spies that night for intelli-
gence, who brought back the welcome news that all was
quiet in Maelgon's camp, and that they kept no strict
watch, being not aware of an approaching enemy. This
intelligence much encouraged the brothers to prosecute
their design, and they marched as silently as they could
towards their enemies' camp, where they met with no oppo-
sition, being undiscovered, because all were fast asleep.
When they were advanced as they thought as far as
Maelgon's tent, they furiously attacked and slew a great
number of his men before they awoke; the rest being
alarmed with the noise and shouts of their enemies, and
withal thinking their number to be far greater than it was,
were glad to make use of the darkness of the night to quit
the field, excepting Maelgon's guard only, who valiantly

kept

HISTORY OF WALES. 207

kept their post and defended their lord till he had time and
opportunity to escape. Maelgon's army suffered very much
in this action ; his nephew Conan ap Howel with his chief
counsellor Gruffydh ap Cadwgan were both taken prison-
ers; and Eineon ap Caradoc with a great number more
were slain upon the spot. About the same time, Gilbert
Earl of Gloucester fortified the castle of Buelht, where a
little before he had lost a considerable number of his men,
in consequence of the place not being strong and tenable.
Towards the conclusion of this year, Mallt or Mawd de
Bruce, the wife of Gruffydh ap Rhys, departed this life,
and was interred by her husband in a monk's cowl in
Ystratflur.*

The following year, North Wales was threatened by a A. D. 1211.
great storm, in consequence of the Marchers having made
frequent and grievous complaints to King John that Prince
Lhewelyn perpetually molested their country, slew their
men, and committed all the waste and destiuction possible
as he passed along. The king, hearing of such intolerable
depredations continually exercised by the men of North
Wales, deemed it high time to redress the wrongs of his
subjects, and therefore he raised a mighty army throughout
England, and called to him all such lords and princes of
Wales as held their lands under patents from him, as Howel
ap Gruffydh ap Conan ap Owen Gwynedh, whom Prince
Lhewelyn had banished out of North Wales; Madoc ap
Gruffydh Maylor, Lord of Bromfield, Chirk, and Yale;
Meredith ap Rotpert, Lord of Cydewen; Gwenwynwyn,
Lord of Powys; Maelgon and Rhys, the sons of Prince
Rhys, and governors of South Wales.f With this formida-
ble army he came to Chester, intending to enter North
Wales by that way, and being fully resolved to execute the
severest vengeance upon the inhabitants, and not to let one
person remain alive throughout the whole country: but
resolutions of this nature are much easier made than accom-
plished; accordingly, Prince Lhewelyn was no sooner in-
formed of these mighty preparations against him, and which
comprehended the whole strength of the English nation,
and, what was worst of all, which was assisted by his own
countrymen, than he issued forth his orders, commanding
all his subjects of the inland counties of Denbigh and Flint,
together with those of the island of Anglesey, to remove for
a time all their cattle and other effects to the mountains of
Snowdon, where they were sure to remain most secure from
their enemies: but King John marched his army along the

sea-coast
* Welsh Chron. p. 264. f IWd.

208 HISTORY OF WALES.

sea-coast to Ruthlan,* and there passing the river Clwyd,
he came to the castle of Deganwy,f where he encamped for
some time to refresh and recruit his army, which, by reason
of the long marches they had made, \vas greatly fatigued;
but what the more augmented their misery, Lhewelyn
getting behind them cut off' all their hopes of provision
from England, and the Welsh, possessing the advantage of
being acquainted with the straits and narrow passages, cut
off all that straggled from the English camp, so that in time
they were glad to take up with horse-flesh, and any thins;
else were it never so mean which they could by possibility
use as food. At last King John, finding no other remedy,
and perceiving it impossible to continue longer there with-
out a supply of provisions, thought it his best way to march
for England^ and leave the Welsh to themselves, and so he
decamped in a great fury, leaving Lhewelyn to bury that
great number of dead which had perished by hunger in this
unsuccessful expedition : however, to recover the honour
he had now lost, he was resolved to try another encounter
with the Welsh, but probably not with the same confidence
of victory ; and therefore returning to W ales in the next
August, having collected another similarly great army of
English, and assisted by the same Welsh lords, he entered
at Blanch monastery, now Oswestry, being in the lordship
of John the son of William Fitz-Alan. In this expedition,
King John passing the river Conway, and encamping at the
other side towards the hills of Snowdon, sent part of his
army (conducted by guides who were acquainted with the
country) to bum Bangor, which they effectually did; and
taking Robert bishop of that see out of church, they carried
him prisoner to the English camp, where he continued for
some time, till he obtained his ransom for a present of two
hundred hawks : but Prince Lhewelyn finding the whole
strength of England and almost Wales to fight against him,
and judging it impossible with the power he alone possessed
to withstand so great a multitude, thought it best to en-
deavour to find out some method to reconcile himself to the
king: and as he could devise no better measure, he sent
Joan his wife, King John's daughter, to intreat with her
father about a peace, and a cessation of hostilities ; who
being a prudent, wary woman, so prevailed upon the king
that he granted to her husband Prince Lhewelyn a safe
conduct to come to him, and to renew the former peace and

amity

* Rhuddlan — Red Banks ; which might properly take its name from the appear-
ance of the country j or from the battle so fatal to the Welsh, which was fought upon"
Rhuddlan marsh.

f Annales de Margan, p. 15.— Welsh Chron. p. 264. J Ibid.

HISTORY OF WALES. 209

amity that was betwixt them; and so Lhewelyn having
done homage, promised the king towards his expenses in
this expedition 20,000 head of cattle and 40 horses, and,
what was more than all, he surrendered all the inland
countries of Wales, with the appurtenances, to him and his
heirs for ever. King John having succeeded better in this
than the former expedition, he returned to England in
great triumph, having subdued all Wales, excepting that
part which Rhys and Owen, the sons of Gruffydh ap Rhys,
still kept and maintained against the English : but having
no leisure to march against them himself, he, at his depart-
ure out of the country, gave strict charge to Foulke
Viscount of Caerdyff, warden of the marches, a cruel
tyrant, though well beloved and favoured by the king, to
take an army with him, and so joining with Maelgon and
Rhys Fychan, to compel the sons of Gruffydh ap Rhys to
acknowledge him for their sovereign and to do him homage.
Foulke having received so positive a command, immedi-
ately raised his forces, and calling Maelgon and Rhys,
came to the Cantref of Penwedic ; which when the young
lords Rhys and Owen heard of, and being assured that this
blow was levelled against them, and knowing they were not
able to bear it, before any attack was made, they sent to
Foulke to sue for peace, and for a safe conduct for them to
pass to the court of England. This being granted, they
came to London and made their submission to the king,
and requesting his pardon for all former misdemeanors,
they gave up all pretence to their lands betwixt Aeron and
Dyfi; and so paying their homage, they were dismissed
very graciously. Foulke, however, before his departure
out of the country, fortified the castle of Aberystwith, and
placing a strong garrison therein, kept it for the king's use :
but Maelgon and Rhys Fychan, being headstrong, incon-
stant persons, soon repented them of the peace they had
made with the king of England; and thereupon, without
the least reason or provocation, they laid siege to Aber-
ystwith castle, and haying with much difficulty made them-
selves masters of it, they destroyed the fortification which
Foulke had lately erected and rased the castle to the ground.
However, they paid dear for this in another way; for as
soon as Rhys and Owen had heard that their uncles had
broken the king's peace, they made inroads into Isareon,
which was Maelgon's country, and having slain a consider-
able number of his men, among whom was one of peculiar

bravery

210 HISTORY OF WALES.

bravery and strength, a youth called Bachglas, they returned
with a rich booty.

Maelgon and Rhys Fychan were quickly followed by the
men of North Wales in their revolt from the king of
England; for Prince Lhewelyn not being able to endure
any longer the tyranny and oppression which the king's
garrisons exercised in his country, called together Gwen-
wynwyn from Powys, Maelgon ap Rhys from South Wales,
Madoc ap Gruftydh May lor from Bromfield, and Meredith
ap Rotpert from Cydewen, and plainly declared before
them the pride and tyranny of the English, and observed
that they who were always used to have a prince of their
own nation, were now by their own wilfulness and neglect
become subject to strangers : however, it was not too late to
recover their ancient liberty, and if they did but unani-
mously agree among themselves, they might easily cast oft'
that yoke which was so intolerably burdensome to them.
Then the lords being sensible of the truth and justice of
what Prince Lhewelyn had said, and being conscious that
their present slavish subjection to the English was wholly
owing to their own cowardice, swore fealty to Prince Lhe-
welyn, and also swore to be true and faithful to him, and to
stand by each other to the utmost of their lives and fortunes.
Therefore, joining their forces together, they took all the
castles in North Wales which were in the hands of the
English, excepting Rhuddlan, and Piganwy ; and then
going to Powys, they laid siege to the castle which Robert
Vipont had built at Mathrafal. King John being in-
formed that the Welsh had conspired against him, and that
they had taken and seized upon almost all his castles in
North Wales, and that they were now actually besieging
Mathrafal, presently assembled his army, and coming to
Mathrafal, immediately raised the siege, and to prevent the
Welsh from coming any more against it, he burnt it to the
ground, and so returned to England, having no time to stay
any longer in Wales, in consequence of the differences that
happened betwixt him and his nobility : but being after-
wards at Nottingham, and hearing that Prince Lhewelyn
cruelly harassed and destroyed the marches, he caused all
the Welsh pledges which he had received the last year to
be hanged, among whom wereHowel the son of Cadwalhon,
and Madoc the son of Maelgon, with many others of the
sons of Welsh noblemen, to the number of twenty-eight.
About. the same time, Robert Vipont caused Rhys the son
of Maelgon to be hanged at Shrewsbury, being a youth of
about seventeen years of age, and so cruelly murdered the

innocent

HISTORY OF WALES. 211

innocent child in revenge for the crimes and offences com-
mitted by his father and others,*

Though King John was so severe to the Welsh, yet the
Princess of North Walesf was more dutiful and favourable
to him ; for whilst he staid at Nottingham, she sent him an
express, declaring that the barons had entered into a con-
spiracy with the French king against him, and that the
latter was preparing and raising an army to come over to
England, upon pretence that the king was a rebel and bid
open defiance to the Holy Church, inasmuch as he would
not yield to the Bishop of Rome's request. In confirmation
of this, she told him that Robert Fitzwalter, Eustace de
Vescy, and Stephen Redell were secretly fled into France,
to promote and carry on this intrigue. In proof that this
design against King John was no feigned surmise, the next A. D. 1212.
year Pope Innocent the Third detached one of his nuncios
to Wales, who absolved Prince Lhewelyn, Gwenwynwyn,
and Maelgon from their oaths of allegiance to King John,
and withal gave them a strict command, under the penalty
of excommunication, to molest and annoy him with all their
endeavours, as an open enemy to the church of God.J
Prince Lhewelyn was far from being dissatisfied with this,
for now he had gained the most fitting opportunity ima-
ginable to recover such lands as he had formerly much
against his will delivered up to the king, being in the inland
country of Denbigh and Flint, and of which Lhewelyn at
this time repossessed himself: and it was fortunate that he
was so active in doing this ; for within a little while after,
King John, by the persuasions of Pandulph, the Pope's
legate, granted his Holiness all his request, and so obtained
absolution at Pandulph's hands, and, upon performance of
his promises, an assurance of a release from that Ecclesi-
astical Bull which had so formidably roared against him.

South Wales had now been quiet for a considerable time, 1213.
and they that used to be commonly very turbulent and
contentious, were now tolerably easy and amicable : but it
was impossible that such a peaceable course of life should
hold long, where injustice and oppression had so much
sway, and where people were wrongfully kept out of their

just
p. 2

* Welsh Chron. p. 267.— These innocent victims delivered up to John at the late
peace were all of them very young, and allied to the most distinguished families in Wtues.
— Annales de Margan, p. 15. Holinshead, p. 176. Welsh Chron. 276.

f He received two letters, one of which was from the king of Scotland, and the other
was from his daughter, the wife of Prince Lhewelyn.— Welsh Chroc. p. 267.

| Matthew Paris, p. 194. Brady's History of England, p. 482. Annales Waverleiensis $
p. 173. Thomas Wykes, p. 37. Holinshead, p. 176.

212 HISTORY OF WALES.

just and rightful inheritance; and this was the occasion of
the breach of that quietness which for the two or three
years last past they had so satisfactorily enjoyed : for Rhys
the son of Gruffydh ap Rhys, who was right heir to Prince
Rhys, finding he could have no share of his father's estate,
but that his uncles forcibly kept all from him, thought it
best to make his case known to the king of England, and to
desire a remedy and redress from him. King John, in
compassion for the young man's hard condition, sent to his
deputy, Foulke Viscount of Caerdyff, warden of the marches,
and to the Steward of Hereford, commanding them to take
away all Ystratywy from Rhys Fychan, by some called Rhys
Gryg,* unless he would permit his nephews to enjoy Lhan-
ymdhyfry castle, with all the lands and privileges thereunto
belonging. Foulke having received such orders 'from his
master the king of England, sent to acquaint Rhys of the
proposals, and to demand of him whether or not he would
deliver up Lhanymdhyfry to his nephews, according to the
king's command; who returned answer, that he did not
know of any such obligation due from him to the king of
England as to part with his lands at his command, and
therefore assured him peremptorily, and in plain terms, that
he would not willingly part with one foot of what he was
then in possession of. Foulke, therefore, having received
this resolute answer, was likewise as determined to get that
by force which he could not obtain by fair means ; and so
having raised a great army, he marched to Talhwynelgain
to meet young Rhys, who was to come thither with all the
forces he could raise in Brecknock ; and from thence they
marched in three divisions towards Dynefawr, the first
being commanded by young Rhys, the second by Foulke,
and Owen, brother to Rhys, led the third. Rhys Fychan
was not in the least dismayed at their number, but thinking
it more advisable to meet them in the field than to suffer
them to block him up at Dynefawr, came out very boldly
and gave them battle ; when, after a warm engagement on
both sides, Rhys Fychan was defeated, and after losing a
great number of his men, he was glad to make his escape by
flight: wherefore, retiring to Dynefawr, he doubled the
garrison of that place, but thinking the town of Lhandeilo-
fawr not tenable, he burnt it to the ground, and then hid
himself in the woods and other retired places : however,
young Rhys and Foulke laid siege to Dynefawr, and in the
first assault attacked it so fiercely, that they forced the
garrison to retire to the castle, which for some time they

defended

* Rough Rhys.

HISTORY OF WALES. 213

defended very manfully : the besiegers, however, b3gan to
play so violently with their battering engines, and to under-
mine the wall in such a manner, that the governor after a
short defence offered to capitulate, giving three pledges for'
security, that if they received no relief by the morrow at
noon the castle should be surrendered, upon condition that
the garrison should march out with all the tokens of honour,
and carry their arms and all other implements of war along
with them. No relief being arrived, the castle the next
day was accordingly surrendered, and all the articles of the
capitulation observed; and thus young Rhys being pos-
sessed of Dynefawr, in a little time afterwards brought all
Cantreffawr to his subjection. When Rhys Fychan was
aware that the stream of affairs was running violently against
him, he thought it his wisest way to remove his wife and
children, and all his other effects, to his brother Maelgon's
country, and so leaving Lhanymdhyfry castle well manned
and fortified, he departed towards Aberystwith. As soon,
however, as Foulke was returned to the marches, young
Rhys came with an army, consisting of Welsh and Normans,
before Lhanymdhyfry, intending to besiege that place; but
before they were encamped in front of the town, the governor
thought it his best way to surrender, upon condition that
the garrison should depart with their lives. Shortly after-
wards, Rhys Fychan was taken at Caermardhyn and com-
mitted to the king's prison, and so all the disturbances and
troubles of South Wales came to a peaceable issue. But in
North Wales it was not so; for Prince Lhewelyn, being
desirous to rid his country from the insupportable tyranny
and oppression of the English garrisons, laid siege to the
castles of Diganwy and Ruddlan, the only places then
remaining in the hands of the English, which he took with-
out any great opposition, and thus freed his country from
any title or pretence the king of England might claim in
North Wales.* King John indeed was engaged another
way, and consequently in no good condition to help him-
self; for having expressed his regret on account of the
indignities and obstinacy he had offered towards Pope
Innocent, at this time he did penance before the Archbishop
of Canterbury, to atone for all the severities he had prac-
tised against the church; and to restore himself the more
to his Holiness's favour, he made the kingdom of England
tributary to the church of Rome, to be holden of the Pope,
by payment of the sum of 1000 marks yearly for ever; and
withal recalled and restored to their former preferments and

places
* Annales Waverleiensis, p. 174. Welsh Chron. p. 270.

214 HISTORY OF WALES.

places all such as had been banished, or had voluntarily
fled the kingdom, on account of their strict adherence and
submission to the Pope of Rome.

A. D. 1214. Nor was this all ; for the next year King John, with two
of his nobility, the Earls of Chester and Derby, were
resolved upon a voyage to the Holy Land, but were pre-
vented taking the journey by the rebellion of the barons,
which now broke forth violently, because the king would
not grant to them those ancient laws and privileges that
their forefathers had always enjoyed. Therefore the barons
entered into a confederacy with Prince Lhewelyn of North
Wales, desiring him to make what diversion he could on his
part, while they were resolved to do the same on theirs ;
and having raised an army, they appointed Robert Fitz-
walter their general. Coming to Bedford, they were
honourably received into the castle by William Beauchamp,
and from thence marching to London, they were entertained
with all the expressions of joy. King John perceiving how
powerful they were likely to prove, and that the country did
in a great measure favour their cause, thought it his wisest
way to nip them in the bud, and to fall upon them before
they grew too strong ; and, therefore, having levied his
forces, he marched, together with William Marshal Earl of
Pembroke, towards the castle of Rochester : being arrived
there, he laid close siege to the castle, but the governor,
William de Albineto, so bravely defended it, that it could
scarcely be taken after three months' siege ; at length, how-
ever, the king's men attacked it so violently, that they took
it by storm, where, besides William de Albineto, the king
took several of the barons prisoners. This was a disastrous
beginning to the design of the confederates, and what did
not add a little to their misfortune, the Pope immediately
1215. issued out a Bull of Excommunication against Lhewelyn
Prince of Wales, and all the English barons that made war
against King John, who was under the protection of the
Church of Rome;* but Prince Lhewelyn did not regard his
threatening anathemas, and therefore having raised an army,
he came to Shrewsbury, which was delivered up to him
without any resistance. Whilst Lhewelyn remained there,
Giles de Bruce, Bishop of Hereford, one of the chief of
this conspiracy, sent his brother Reynold to Brecknock,
whom all the people readily owned for their lord ; therefore
' without the least grumbling or opposition he received the
castles of Abergavenny and Pencelhy, the Castelh Gwyn
(or the White Castle), together with Grosmont castle and

the
* Annales Waverleiensis, p. 182.— Welsh Chron. p. 271.

HISTORY OF WALES.

the island of Cynvric : and when the bishop came thither in
person, lie had the castles of Aberhondhy, Hay, Buelht,
and Blaenlhyfny also delivered up to him; but thinking he
had enough himself, and being rather desirous to secure his
interest, and to strengthen his party in the country, than to
heap more upon his own shoulders than he was well able to
support, he bestowed Payne castle, Chine, and all Elvel,
upon Walter Fychan, the son of Eineon Clyd.

In the mean time young Rhys, the son of Gruffydh ap
Rhys, and his uncle Maelgon, were reconciled and made
friends, and so coming both to Dyfed, they destroyed
Arberth and Maenclochoc castles, and recovered all such
lands as formerly belonged to them^ excepting Cemaes : but
Rhys's brothers Maelgon and Owen^ went to North Wales
and did homage and fealty to Prince Lhewelyn, whilst their
brother Prince Rhys marched forward to Cydwely, and
having rased the castles of Carnwylheon and Lhychwr,
brought all the country thereabout under his subjection.
This, however, did not satisfy the ambition of that young
prince; for having once tasted the pleasures of victory,
and the satisfaction of taking and demolishing towns, he was
resolved to prosecute his conquest whilst Fortune seemed to
favour his undertakings ; and, therefore, he led his army
against Talybont castle, which belonged to Hugh de Miles,
and forcing his entrance into the same,- he put a great num-
ber of the garrison to the sword. The next day he marched
to Sengennyth castle, but the garrison which kept it, think-
ing it fruitless to attempt to oppose him, burnt the place
and departed to Ystymlhwynarth : but he followed them
closely, and the next day took that place and rased it to the
ground, and wasted the country in such a violent manner,
that in three days time he became master of all the castles
and fortresses in all Gowerland and Morgannwc, and then
returned home with great victory and triumph. At the
same time Rhys Fychan, otherwise Rhys Gryg, the uncle of
young Prince Rhys, obtained his liberty from the King of
England, leaving his son with two others as pledges for his
moderate and peaceable behaviour towards his subjects,
whom at other times he had molested and oppressed.
About this time the abbots of Tal y Llecheu and Ty Gwyn,
were consecrated bishops, the former of St. David's, and
the other of Bangor: and the Bishop of Hereford, who
seemed to be the most violently inclined against King
John, and was otherwise unwilling to part with what he had
got in Wales, could not refuse the injunction of the Pope,
by whose express command he was constrained to make

peace

216 HISTORY OF WALES.

peace with the king, which being concluded, in his return
homeward, he died at Gloucester, leaving his estate to his
brother Reginald, who had married the daughter of Prince
Lhewelyn.*

Notwithstanding Giles de Bruce, Bishop of Hereford,

had relinquished the confederacy, and become reconciled to

King John, yet Prince Lhewelyn would not follow his

example, and, therefore, with his whole army he marched

against Caermardhyn, and took the castle in five days ;

having rased it the ground, he successively laid siege to the

castles of Lhanstephan, St. Cleare, and Talacharn, which

he used after the same manner. From thence he went to

Cardigan, and taking Emlyn castle, he subdued Cemaes,

and then laying siege to Trefdraeth castle, in English called

Newport, he soon took it, and afterwards rased it to the

ground. His next design was upon Aberteifi and Cil-

gerran castles, but the garrisons which defended them,

finding it would be of no avail to wait his coming, and to

endeavour to withstand his attempts against those places,

voluntarily surrendered, and by that means prevented all the

evils, which in opposing him, would in all probability have

unavoidably come upon them. Prince Lhewelyn having

thus successfully over-run and subdued all Caermardhyn and

Cardigan, triumphantly returned to North Wales, being

attended by several of the Welsh nobility, such as Howel ap

Gruffydh ap Conan, Lhewelyn ap Meredith, Gwenwynwyn

Lord of Powys, Meredith ap Rotpert, Maelgon and Rhy s

Fychan the sons of Prince Rhys of South Wales, Rhys and

Owen the sons of Gruffydh ap Rhys, together with all the

power of Madoc ap Gruffydh Maylor Lord of Bromfield.f

A. D. 1216. The next year Prince Lhewelyn returned to Aberteifi to

compose a difference, which since his departure had

happened betwixt Maelgon and Rhys Fychan, sons of

Prince Rhys, on the one side, and Rhys and Owen, sons of

Gruffydh ap Rhys, on the other. To make up this quarrel,

and to bring all matters to a quiet and amicable issue,

Prince Lhewelyn made an equal distribution of South

Wales betwixt them, alloting to Maelgon three Cantrefs in

Dyfed, viz. Gwarthaf, Penlhwynoc, Cemaes, and Emlyn,

with Cilgerran castle ; to young Rhys, two castles in

Ystratywy, Hirvryn and Maelhaen, Maenor Bydfey, with

the castle of Lhanymdhyfry, and two in Cardigan, Gwyn-

ionyth and Mahwyneon. His brother Owen had to his

share the castles of Aberteifi and Nant yr Arian, with three

Cantrefs

* Welsh Chron. p. 273.
t Welsh Chrop. p. 273. Hist. Gwedir Family, p. 26.

HISTORY OF WALES. 217

Cantrefs in Cardigan ; and Rhys Fychan, otherwise called
Rhys Gryc, had Dynefawr castle, the Cantref Mawr, the
Cantref By chan, excepting Hirvryn and Midhfey, together
with the Comotes of Cydwely and Carnwylhion. This
division being accomplished to every one's satisfaction, and
all the lords of South Wales being amicably reconciled.
Prince Lhewelyn took his journey for North Wales ; but he
had not advanced far, when intelligence was brought him
that Gwenwynwyn Lord of Powys had revolted, and was
become again the King of England's subject. This un-
welcome news struck very deep in the prince's mind,
because Gwenwynwyn was a man of great power and
strength in the country, and of great service to repel the
incursions of the English upon the marches, which now,
h(i having gone over to the English interest, could not, as
Lhewelyn feared, be so well effected. However, to make
the best of a bad matter, he endeavoured to withdraw him
from the English, and to restore him to his former allegiance
due to himself as his natural prince ; and to that end, he
sent to him some bishops and abbots to put him in mind
of the oath and promise he had entered into, and that he,
with the rest of the lords of Wales, had bound himself to
oppose the English to the utmost of his power, and had
delivered pledges for the sure performance of what he had
then by oath engaged in; and lest he should have forgotten
what he had then promised, he was desired to read his own
hand-writing, whereby it was apparent that he had very
unjustly violated both his oath and promise : but all the
rhetoric the bishops could make use of, was not of force
sufficient to induce Gwenwynwyn to become reconciled to
the Prince and to oppose the King of England; and,
therefore, seeing nothing else would do, Prince Lhewelyn
resolved to make him incapable of serving the English, and
entering Powys with a strong army, he subdued the whole
country to himself, Gwenwynwyn being forced to fly for
succour to the Earl of Chester.*

Whilst these things passed in Wales, Lewis, the Dauphin
of France, being invited by the English barons against
King John, landed in the island of Thanet, and marching
forward to London, he there received homage of all the
barons that were in actual war against the king. Then
going forward towards Winchester, where King John lay,
he took in his way the castles of Rygate, Guildford, and
Farnham,' and coming to Winchester, had the town im-
mediately surrendered to him. King John did not think it

advisable

* Welsh Chron. p. 274.

218 HISTORY OF WALES.

advisable to abide his coming, but removing to Hereford,
in the marches of Wales, he sent to Prince Lhewelyn and
Reynald de Bruce, desiring their friendship, and imploring
their aid and assistance against the French ; and Ilicy
refusing to hearken to his proposals, he destroyed Radnor
and Hay castles, and marching forward to Oswestry,* which
belonged to John Fitzalan, he burnt it to the ground, and
then departed towards the North : but after he had settled
his affairs there, and appointed governors in all the towns
and places of strength, whilst he was making all necessary
preparations at Newark to confront the barons, he fell sick,
and in a short time died, and was buried at Worcester.

After his death his son Henry was by several of the
English nobility proclaimed king, and in a little while,
most of the barons, who on account of their hatred to King
John, had maintained an open war against that monarch,
came in and owned their allegiance to his son Henry,
though contrary to their oath to Lewis the Dauphin : but
A. D.1217. what was most disastrous to the Welsh, Reynald de Bruce,
who had all this while maintained a confederacy with Prince
Lhewelyn, his father-in-law, against King John, secretly
made his peace with King Henry. He suffered severely,
however, for his treachery; for young Rhys, and Owen his
nephew by his sister, seeing that he in whom they put their
greatest confidence, had deceitfully forsaken them, came
upon him with all their power, and took from him all
Buelht, excepting only the castle. Prince Lhewelyn was
immediately made acquainted with Bmce's revolt, and as
soon as he was informed that his son-in-law was gone over
to the King of England, he went in great fury to Breck-
nockshire, and laying siege to Aberhondhu, its principal
town, he was with much persuasion prevailed upon by
young Rhys to raise the siege for the sum of a hundred
marks, and at the same time receiving five hostages ; and
then crossing the mountainous part of Glamorgan, called
the Black Mountains, where his carriages suffered very
much, he came to Gwyr, and encamping at Lhangruc,
Reynald de Bruce with six knights in his company, came to
meet him, desiring his pardon for his past offence, as-
suring him that in future he would be true and faithful to
him, and would do his utmost to assist him against the King
of England. Prince Lhewelyn accepted his submission,
and not only received him again to his favour, but bestowed
upon him the castle of Senghennyth, which Reynald after-
wards committed to the custody of Rhys Fychan.

Prince

* Welsh Chron. p. 275.

HISTORY OF WALES. 219

Prince Lhewelyn having put all things in order in Gwyr,
marched to Dyfed, and being at Cefn Cynwarchan, the
Flemings sent their agents to him to desire peace, which
the prince, because they always adhered to the English
interest, would not grant them. Young Rhys was the first
man to pass the river Cledheu to storm the town; but
lorwerth bishop of St. David's, with the rest of his clergy,
came to the prince to intreat for a peace for the Flemings,
which, after a long discussion, was granted upon these
terms: first, That all the inhabitants of Rhos, and the
country of Pembroke, should from thence forward swear
allegiance to Prince Lhewelyn, and ever after acknowledge
his sovereignty ; secondly, That towards the defraying of
his charges in this expedition, they should pay one thousand
marks, to be delivered to him before the ensuing feast of St.
Michael ; thirdly, That for the sure performance of these
articles they should deliver up twenty hostages, who were
to be some of the principal persons in their country.* Then
Prince Lhewelyn having brought all Wales into subjection
to himself, and put matters in a settled posture in South
Wales, returned to North Wales, having gained consider-
able honour and esteem for his martial achievements in this
expedition.

All matters of difference being now adjusted, and the
Welsh in good hopes of a durable freedom from all troubles
and hostilities, another accident unhappily occurred to cross
their expectation. Lewis the Dauphin, perceiving the English
barons slighted and forsook him, concluded a peace with
King Henry, and returned to France • and the king having
made a promise to the barons that, he would grant all their
requests, and redress their grievances, they made their sub-
mission, without including the Welsh in their articles.
They had until this time gladly embraced the friendship
and aid of the Prince of Wales ; but now, upon their recon-
ciliation with the king, thinking they had no farther need of
him, they basely forsook him who had been the principal
support and succour of their cause : and not only so, but
they conspired together to carry their arms against Wales,
thinking they could, without any breach of equity or con-
science, take away the lands of the Welsh, to make addition
to what some of them had already unjustly possessed them-
selves of. William Marshal Earl of Pembroke commenced
the work, and coming unexpectedly upon the Welsh, took
the town of Caerlheon ;f but he gained nothing by this, for
Rhys Fychan perceiving what was his intention, destroyed

Senghennyth
* Welsh Chron. p. 278. f Ibid.

220 HISTORY OF WALES.

Senghennyth castle, and all the other places under his con-
troul in that country, and banishing the English with their
wives and children, divided the country betwixt the Welsh,
who kept sure possession of it. Prince Lhewelyn also find-
A.D. 1218. ing that those had become his foes, who had but lately
courted his friendship, and fearing lest the English being
now in arms should make any attempt upon his castles,
augmented the garrisons of Caermardhyn and Aberteifi, to
make them capable of withstanding the English, in case
they should come against them. Though the Welsh and
English were thus at open variance and in actual hostility
one against the other, yet young Rhys, with Prince Lhe-
welyn's approbation and consent, thought it advisable to go
and do homage to the king of England, for his lands in
Wales. It might have been thought a matter of superero-
gation thus to pay court to one who was a declared enemy to
all the Welsh, and one that would not in all probability
suffer him to enjoy a quiet possession of his estate, if he had
ability and opportunity to eject him : but the Welsh interest

1219. was now greatly augmented by a new alliance with some of
the most powerful among the English ; Rhys Gryc, son of
Prince Rhys, being married to the Earl of Clare's daughter ;
and Marret, daughter of Prince Lhewelyn, to John de
Bruce.*

The Prince of Wales had very soon an occasion to exer-
cise his power, for the Flemings in Dyfed, who had lately
sworn allegiance to him, began now to repent of what they
had but a short time ago gladly submitted to, and contrary
to their oaths, and to the league they had sworn to observe,
they attacked Aberteifi castle, which they took. Prince
Lhewelyn, being highly displeased with the treacherous
practices of these perjured Flemings, marched with all
speed to Aberteifi, and having recovered the castle, which
he afterwards rased, he put all the garrison to the sword.
Gwys was served in the same manner, and the town of

1220. Haverford was burnt to the ground, and overrunning Rhos
and Daugledhau,f he committed a lamentable destruction
throughout the whole country. This the Flemings received
as the due reward of their sinistrous dealing, which soon
made them aware of their folly, and their imprudent be-
haviour towards the Prince of Wales ; and therefore being
mournfully convinced how unable they were to prevent his
farther progress by force of arms, they made overtures for a

cessation

* Welsh Chron. p. 279. Some time afterwards he likewise married another of hi»
daughters to a Scotch lord, who was nephew and heir to the Earl of Chester. —
Holinshead, p. 204.

f Or « Two Swords."

HISTORY OF WALES. 221

cessation of all hostilities till the May following, which being
granted them upon strict conditions, Prince Lhewelyn re-
turned to North Wales. In the mean time some Welsh
lords besieged Bnelht castle, which was in the }x>ssession of
Reynald Bruce, but before they could take it, King Henry
brought an army to the marches and raised the siege, and
then marching forward to Montgomery, built a new castle
in that town.*

The next year an unhappy dissension fell out betwixt A. D. 1221.
Prince Lhewelyn and his son Gruffydh ; the latter having
kept himself in possession of the Cantref of Merioneth, con-
trary to the consent arid approbation of his father. The
Prince, therefore, having now no great matter of moment
abroad, was resolved to curb the insolence of his son, and
sent to him to command his appearance, and to direct him
to deliver up the Cantref quietly, lest he should be forced to
take it violently out of his hands. Gruffydh was not in the
least dismayed at his threatenings, but being resolved to
keep what at present he enjoyed, would neither go to his
father, nor deliver up the Cantref to him. The Prince
being enraged that he should be so slighted by his son,
made a vehement protestation, that he would be severely
revenged both of him and all his accomplices ; and therefore
coming to Merionyth with a great army, was resolved to
drive his son out of the country. Gruffydh made all pos-
sible preparations to oppose his father, and drew up his
forces to give him battle ; but when both armies were ready
to join, the differences between them were happily com-
posed, and Gruffydh prevailed upon to make his submission
to his father, f The prince, though he forgave his son his
offence, and received him to favour, would not, however,
permit him to enjoy Merionyth and Ardydwy ; but taking
them away from him, and building a castle ill the latter,
returned home. He had not continued long at his palace
at Aberffraw, when another occasion called him abroad ;
for young Rhys, being disappointed of Aberteifi, which in
the division of South Wales was allotted to his share, forsook
the prince, and put himself under the protection of William
Marshal Earl of Pembroke. Prince Lhewelyn, hearing this,
marched in great haste to Aberystwyth, and being desirous
to punish Rhys for his desertion from his allegiance, seized
to his own use that castle, together with all the domain and
lands belonging to it. When Rhys understood what the
prince had done, he made an immediate complaint to the
King of England, who coming to Shrewsbury, and sending

for

* Matthew Paris, p. 262. t Welsh Chron. p. 280,

222 HISTORY OF WALES.

for Prince Lhewelyn, so adjusted matters between them,*
that the Prince promised to treat with Rhys for Aberteifi,
after the same manner as he had done with Maelgon for
Caermardhyn. Towards the close of the year, John Bruce,
Prince Lhewelyn's son-in-law, obtained leave to fortify
Senghennyth castle, which in right of the prince's grant to
Reynald de Bruce belonged to him. Young Rhys did not
long survive the agreement between him and Prince Lhe-
welyn, for he died the following year, and was buried at
Ystratflur : after whose death the prince divided his estate
between his brother Owen and his uncle Maelgon.
A. D. 1222. William Marshal Earl of Pembroke was now in Ireland,
busily engaged in prosecuting the war against the King of
England's enemies in that kingdom ; and taking advantage
of the opportunity of his absence, Prince Lhewelyn won the
castles of Aberteifi and Caermardhyn, belonging to the Earl,
and putting both the garrisons to the sword, placed in their
room a strong party of his own men ;f but when the Earl
was informed of what the Prince of Wales had done, he
immediately left Ireland, and landed at St. David's with a
great army, and having recovered his castles, he treated the
Welsh after the same manner that Prince Lhewelyn had used
his garrisons, and passing forward into the prince's country,
destroyed all before him as he went along. The Prince
understanding with what violence he came forward, sent his
son Gruffydh with a considerable body of men to check his
fury ; who coming to Cydwely, and receiving intelligence
that the chief men of that place had a private design to
betray him to the enemy, he put the whole town in flames,
and burnt it to the ground, without sparing either churches
or other religious houses. The Earl of Pembroke had
passed the river Tywy at Caermardhyn, where Gruffydh
met him, and gave him battle; but the victory proved so
uncertain, that night at length parted them ; and then the
English retired over the river. Matthew Paris writes, that
the Earl obtained a very signal victory, and that of the
Welsh there were nine thousand slain and taken; though
the Welsh account, which in this case is in all likelihood
the best, makes the whole army of the Welsh to consist but
of that number.:}: Both armies having lain for certain days
in a posture of defence, with the river Tywy between them,
Gruffydh, on account of provision beginning to grow scarce
in his camp, returned back;§ and then the Earl also de-
camped

* Welsh Chron. pp. 281, 282.

t Chr. Thomas Wykes, p. 41. Chronica Walter! Hemingford, p. 564. Matth. Westm.
p. 86. Matth, Paris, p. 267.

t Welsh Chron. p. 282. § Ibid.

HISTORY OF WALES. 223

camped, and marched to Cilgerran, where he began to build
a very strong castle ; but before he had time to finish it, he
received an express from the king, with orders to come to
him ; and so he went by sea to London, leaving his army
at Cilgerran, to continue the work which he had begun.
Shortly after, the king, together with the Archbishop of
Canterbury, came to Ludlow, and sendhijg for Prince Lhe-
welyn thither, they hoped to adjust all differences, and to
make an amicable arrangement between him and the Earl ;
but this could not be effected, both parties adhering to their
own private views; the Earl, therefore, being assisted by
the Earl of Derby and Henry Pyggot Lord of Ewyas, pur-
posed to pass by land to Pembroke ; but his intention being
discovered to the prince, he detached his son to secure the
passage of Carnwylhion, and came in person to Mahedryd ;
which when the Earl understood, finding it dangerous to
prosecute his design any further, he returned to England ;
and then the prince marched to North Wales.* The next A. D. 1227.
action that passed in Wales was of a nature somewhat
rare, and not redounding much to the credit of the
Welsh ; for Rhys Fychan having by some treacherous
means or other taken prisoner his father Rhys Gryc, con-
trary to all filial affection and duty, detained him prisoner,
and would not set him at liberty till he had delivered up
Lhanymdhyfri castle to him. About the same time,
Meredith Archdeacon of Cardigan, son of Prince Rhys,
departed this life, and was honourably interred at St.
David's, by his father.

A short time after, a great storm threatened the Welsh ; j228.
King Henry having raised a numerous army, was resolved
to prosecute to a termination the Earl of Pembroke's quar-
rel against the Prince of Wales, and if possible, to make all
that country for ever subject to the crown of England ; and,
advancing into the marches, he encamped at Ceri.f Prince
Lhewelyn, on the other hand, being informed of these
mighty preparations in England, and understanding that
they were intended against him, used all the endeavours
possible to make a vigorous resistance ; and having drawn
together all the forces he was able to levy, thought it his
wisest plan to meet the English upon the marches, and not
to permit them to enter his country. Both armies being
come in sight of each other, frequent skirmishes happened
betwixt them; but one day, almost the whole of both
armies engaged, and after a vigorous attack on both sides,
the English got the worst, and were forced to retire, having

a
* Welsh Chron. p. 283. f In Montgomeryshire.

224 HISTORY OF WALES.

a great number of men slain and taken prisoners. Among
the latter, was William de Bruce, Reynald's son, who
offered for his ransom all Buelht, together with a consider-
able sum of money, which the prince would not accept.
King Henry, finding that his army was worsted in this
encounter, thought it advisable to make peace with the
Prince of Wales, which being concluded, Lhewelyn came to
the king, and having paid him all other respects, excepting
that of submission and allegiance, he returned in great
honour to North Wales. This action is somewhat other-
wise laid down by Matthew Paris,* who writes, that this
skirmish betwixt the English and Welsh happened upon
another account. He says, the garrison of Montgomery
issuing out of the castle to enlarge a certain passage leading
through a wood, where the Welsh were wont to rob and
kill all passengers, began to fell the timber, and cut down
all the bushes which bounded the road, thereby intending
to make the passage more clear and secure. The Welsh
receiving intelligence of this, came immediately upon them
in great numbers, and surprising the men of the garrison,
who were busy at their labour, forced as many as could
escape to betake themselves for refuge into the castle, which
afterwards, having first cast a deep trench about it, they
boldly invested. Hubert de Burgh, Lord Chief Justice of
England, and owner of the castle, having notice of this, sent
to King Henry, desiring his speedy help against the Welsh,
who thereupon came in person with part of his army, and
raised the siege. Then, the rest of his forces being arrived,
he marched into the wood, which was 5 miles in length,f and
by reason of the thickness of the growth, impassable ; and,
for an easy passage through it, caused it to be burnt down.
After that, he led his army farther into the country, and
coming to an abbey called Cridia,J to which the Welsh were
wont to resort for refuge, he caused it to be burnt down ;
but finding it a very convenient place for a fortress, he
granted leave to Hubert de Burgh to build a castle there. §
Whilst the work of building this castle was going on, the
Welshmen annoyed the English, and skirmished with them
frequently, so that many were slain on both sides ; but at
last William de Bruce with many others that went abroad to
fetch provision, were intercepted by the Welsh, and taken
prisoners, and most of Bruce's company were slain, amorig

whom

* Matthew Paris, p. 295.

f Warrington (vol. ii. p. 56) says this wood was 15 miles in length.
J A solitary place, called Cridia, of the Carmelite order, an abbey belonging to the
White Friars.

§ Matthew Paris, p. 295.

HISTORY OF WALES. 225

whom one that was knighted a few days before, seeing some
of his fellows in great danger, rushed boldly into the midst
of his enemies, and after a manful defence bravely lost his
life. Several of King Henry's men were corrupted by
Prince Lhewelyn, and upon that account took no great pains
to repulse the enemy ; which when the king perceived, and
finding withal that provision was grown very scarce in his
camp, he was forced to conclude a dishonourable peace with
the Welsh, consenting to demolish that castle, which with
so great an expence both of men and money was now almost
finished upon his own charges, Prince Lhewelyn paying
only three thousand pounds towards it.* Then both armies
separated, Prince Lhewelyn marching to North Wales ; and
the king, leaving William de Bruce prisoner with the
Welsh, returned to England, having obtained much dis-
credit in this expedition.

William de Bruce was brought to Wales^ and there had A. D. 1230.
an honourable confinement in the prince's palace ;f but he
had not continued there "long before he began to be sus-
pected of being too familiar with the princess, King Henry's
sister ; and, as the report went, was taken in the very act of
adultery ; for which the prince caused him to be hanged
forthwith.^ About the same time, Lhewelyn, son of Mael-
gon, died in North Wales, and was buried at Conwey : and
Maelgon, son of Prince Rhys, in South Wales, and was
buried at Ystratflur; whose estate descended to his son
Maelgon. A little afterwards William Marshal Earl of
Pembroke died, one that ever entertained an inveterate 1231.
enmity to the Welsh, and upon whose account King Henry
had chiefly brought his army into Wales. He was suc-
ceeded both in his title and estate by his brother Richard,
who was much more favourably inclined towards the Welsh,
and never attempted any thing against them. The King of
England now resolved to retrieve the honour he had lost in

the
Q

* Matthew Paris, p. 295. f At Aber.

J Matthew West. p. 97, says, he was put to death without reason ; so say many
other English writers. The tradition of the country is, that a bard of the palace, acci-
dentally meeting with the princess, (who was ignorant of the fate of her lover,) accosted
her in the following manner j and on receiving her answer, shewed him to her hanging
on a tree.

Diccyn doccyn, gwraig Llywelyn,
Beth y roit'i am weled Gwilim ?

The princess's answer — >

Cymry, Lloegr, a Llywelyn
Y rown'i gyd, am weled Gwilim.

BARD. — Tell me, wife of Llywelyn, what would you give for a sight of your William ?
PRINCESS.— Wales, England, and Llywelyn to boot, I would give them all to see my
William.

226 HISTORY OF WALES.

the late expedition against the Welsh ; and therefore being
returned from France, whither he had made a descent, to
recover what his father had lost in that kingdom, he came to
Wales; and having remained some time in the marches,
he returned again to England, leaving his army under the
command of Hubert Burgh Earl of Kent, to defend the
marches against any inroad which the Welsh might attempt.
He had not remained there long, when he received intelli-
gence that a party of Welsh had entered the marches near
Montgomery, whom he forthwith pursued, and attacking
them unawares, he put a great number of them to the sword.
Prince Lhewelyn, hearing of this, came in person with a
great army to the marches, and encamping before Mont-
gomery castle, he forced Hubert to withdraw, and then
making himself master of the place, he burnt it to the
ground, and put the garrison to the sword ; the like fate
attended the castles of Radnor, Aberhondhy, RhayadrGwy,
Caerlheon, Neth, and Cydwely; though Caerlheon held
out very obstinately, and the prince had several of his men
destroyed before the place. King Henry being informed
what miserable desolation the Prince of Wales was success-
fully committing upon his subjects in these countries, had
him immediately excommunicated; and then coming to
Hereford with a mighty army, he detached the greatest part
of it, with a great number of his nobility, to Wales. These,
by the direction of a friar of Cymer, unexpectedly, as they
thought, fell upon a party of Welsh ; who at the first en-
counter seemed to fly, till they had allured the English to
pursue them to a place where a greater party of Welsh lay
in ambuscade ; who rushing of a sudden upon the English,
put them in such confusion, that the greatest part of them
were cut off. The king, being convinced that this was a
treacherous device of the friar, was resolved to be revenged,
by burning the abbey of Cymer ; but the prior, for three
hundred marks, prevented it ; and so the king returned to
England, having effected nothing in this expedition, besides
the building of Mawd castle. In the mean time, Maelgon,
son of Maelgon ap Rhys, laid siege to Aberteifi, and having
by force got entry into the town, he put all the inhabitants
to the sword, then destroyed all before him to the castle
gates, which were so strongly fortified, that it seemed almost
impracticable to take it in any short time ; but Maelgon,
being joined by his cousin Owen, son of Gruffydh ap Rhys,
was resolved to try the utmost that could be effected ; and
therefore taking with him some of Prince Lhewelyn's most
experienced officers, he broke down the bridge upon the

river

HISTORY OF WALES. 227

river Teifi, and then investing the castle more closely, he so
battered and undermined it, that he became in a little time
master of it.

The year following, Prince Lhewelyn made a descent A. D. 1232.
upon England, and having committed very considerable
waste and destruction upon the borders, he returned to
North Wales with a rich booty in prisoners and cattle.
King Henry, to scourge the Welsh for these grievous
devastations, and to prevent their further incursions into
England, demanded a very great subsidy of his subjects to
carry on the war against the Welsh ; which being granted
him, he made every preparation for his expedition to Wales/
In the mean time, Randulph Earl of Chester died, and was*
succeeded in that honour by John his sister's son, who was
afterwards married to Prince Lhewelyn's daughter. The
English in Wales, being in expectation of King Henry's
coming thither, began to repair and fortify their castles ;
and particularly, Richard Earl of Cornwal rebuilt Radnor 1233.
castle, which the prince had lately destroyed. Prince
Lhewelyn was sufficiently aware that the king of England
intended an invasion, and therefore to be before-hand with
him, he came with an army to Brecknock, and destroyed all
the towns and Castles throughout the country, excepting
Brecknock castle, which was defended so manfully, that
after a month's encampment before it, he was at last con-
strained to raise the siege. In his return to North Wales,
he burnt the town of Clun, recovered all the country called
Dyflfryn Tefeidiat, in the possession of John Fitzalan, de-
stroyed Red Castle in Powis, and burnt Oswestry.* At
this time, very fortunately for the Welsh, Richard Marshal
Earl of Pembroke, having differed with King Henry, took
part with Prince Lhewelyn ; with whom joined Hubert de
Burgh, who had lately made his escape out of the castle of
Devizes, where the king, upon some articles of information
brought against him, had committed him to prison.f The
Earl of Pembroke, attended by Owen ap Gruffydh ap Rhys,
came to St. David's ; and being very glad of an opportunity
to revenge himself upon the king, slew every one that owned
any dependence upon the crown of England. Maelgon and
Rhys Gryc, with all the forces of Prince Lhewelyn, quickly
joined the Earl ; and they in their march through the country

took
Q 2

* Matthew Paris, p. 28§.

f Among other frivolous crimes objected against this minister, he was accused of pur-
loining from the royal treasury a gem, which had the virtue of rendering the wearer
invulnerable, and of sending this valuable curiosity to the Prince of North Wales.—
Matthew Paris, p. 259.

228 HISTORY OF WALES.

took the castles of CardyfF, Abergavenny, Pencelby,
Blaenlhefyni, and Bwlch y Dinas, all of which, excepting
CardyfF, they burnt to the ground. The king receiving
intelligence that the Earl of Pembroke had entered into
a confederacy with the Prince of Wales, and that he was
now in open hostility against his subjects in that country,
gathered a very formidable army, consisting, besides Eng-
lish, of Flemings, Normans, and Gascoigns ; and coming to
Wales, he encamped at Grosmont, where the Earl with the
Welsh army met him. But when the English would have
endeavoured to advance further into the country, the Welsh
opposed them, and a battle ensued, wherein the English lost
five hundred horse, besides a far greater number of their
infantry. The Welsh having gained a considerable victory
in this action, the king was advised to withdraw his forces,
lest the Welsh should again attack them, and they should
sustain a greater loss; which counsel the king willingly
hearkened to, and returned for England. The English
being withdrawn, the Earl likewise decamped, and marched
to Caermardhyn, which he besieged ; but after three months
vain assault, the garrison most bravely defending the place,
and the English fleet having thrown in new provisions, he
thought it most advisable to raise the siege. Shortly after,
Rhys Gryc, son to Prince Rhys, died at Lhandeilo Fawr,
and was honourably interred by his father at St. David's.
About the same time, Maelgon Fychan, son of Maelgon ap
Rhys, finished Trefilean castle, which was begun in his
father's time.

A. D. 1234. King Henry was not willing to hazard any more cam-
paigns in Wales, and therefore he appointed John of
Monmouth, a great soldier and general of the English
forces, warden of the marches of Wales, who thinking to
get to himself an eternal name in conquering the Welsh,
raised all the power he could ; and imagining that the
Welsh would not be aware of his purpose, he thought he
could fall upon the Earl Marshal unexpectedly: but in
this he was, to his sorrow, much mistaken ; for the Earl
having received private intimation of his design, hid himself
and his forces in a wood by which the English were to
march, and when they were come to a certain place, the
Welsh of a sudden gave a great shout, and leaping out of
the place in which they had concealed themselves, they fell
upon the English, who were unprovided, and putting their
whole army to flight, they slew an infinite number both of
the English and their auxiliaries. John of Monmouth
himself niade his escape by flight ; but the Earl Marshal

entering

HISTORY OF WALES. 229

entering his country, destroyed it by fire and sword; and
what added to the misery of the English, Prince Lhewelyn,
in the week after Epiphany, joining the Earl Marshal, made
an incursion into the king's territories, destroying all before
them, from the confines of Wales to Shrewsbury,* a great
part of which they laid in ashes. King Henry was during
these transactions with the Bishop of Winchester at Glou-
cester, and for want of sufficient power or courage to
confront the enemy, durst not take the field; of which
being at length perfectly ashamed, he removed to Win-
chester, leaving the marches exposed to the mercy of the
enemy. There being now no apprehension of attack from
the English, the Earl of Pembroke, by the counsel of
Geoffrey de Marisco, transported his army into Ireland,
thinking to obtain a conquest in that kingdom ; but in the
first encounter with the Irish, he was unfortunately slain
through the treachery of his own men :. and so his estate
and title descended to his brother Gilbert.

King Henry, finding it impracticable to force the Welsh
to a submission, and being in a great measure weary of
continual wars and incessant hostilities, thought it most
prudent to make some honourable agreement with the
Prince of Wales ; and therefore he deputed Edmund Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of Rochester, Coventry,
Lichfield, and Chester, to treat with Prince Lhewelyn
about a peace, f When the king .came to meet with them
on their return from this negociation, being at Woodstock,
he was informed of the death of the Earl of Pembroke,
which he took so much to heart that he shed tears, being
afflicted for the death of so great a person, who, as the
king openly declared, had not left his second in all his king-
dom. Going from thence to Gloucester, he met with the
archbishop and bishops, who delivered to him the form of
the treaty of peace with Prince Lhewelyn, which the latter
would not conclude but upon this condition :— That all the
English nobility who were confederated with him, and by
evil counsel were exiled, should be recalled and restored to
the king's favour. The Archbishop further acquainted his
Majesty with what difficulty he had brought the matter to
this conclusion, being sometimes forced to add threatenings
on the king's behalf, as also on behalf of his clergy ; to
which menaces the prince is said to have answered,— that
he bore more regard to the king's charity and piety than he
did fear of his arms or dread of his clergy. The king, who
was very desirous of a peace, readily consented to what the

prince
* Matthew Paris, p. 332. f Brady's History of England, vol. 1, p. 335.

230 HISTORY OF WALES.

prince required; and therefore he issued out his letters,
recalling all the nobles who were outlawed, or otherwise
exiled, requiring them to appear at Gloucester upon Sun-
day next before Ascension-day, where they should receive
their pardons, and have their estates restored to them,
which the king had taken into his own hands.

The peace being thus concluded betwixt the English and
Welsh, Prince Lhewelyn set his son Gruffydh at liberty,
whom, for his disobedient and restless humour, he had
detained in close prison for the space of six years.* About
the same time, Cadwalhon ap Maelgon, of Melienydh, de-
parted this life, who was soon followed by Owen, son of
Gruffydh ap Rhys, a person of great worth, and exceedingly
beloved, who was buried at Ystratflur by his brother Rhys.
A. D. 1235. The year following, died Owen ap Meredith ap Rotpert, of
(Cydewen; and not long after him, Madawc the son of
Gruffydh Maelor, Lord of Bromfield, Chirk, and Yale,
who was buried at the abbey of Lhan Egwest, or Valle
Crucis, which he had built, leaving issue one son called
Gruffydh, who succeeded into the possession of all these
Jordships.f A short time after, Gilbert Earl of Pembroke
got by treachery Marchen castle, which belonged to Morgan
ap Howel, and fortified the same very strongly, for fear of
Prince Lhewelyn. The next spring Joan, King John's
daughter, and Princess of Wales, departed this life, and
was buried, according to her own desire, upon the sea^
shore, at a place called Lhanfaes, in the isle of Anglesey ;
where the Prince, in memory of her, afterwards founded a
religious house for the order of mendicant. friars.J About
the same time also died John Scot, Earl of Chester, with-
out any issue, upon which account the king seized that
earldom into his own hands. Hugh Lupus was the first
that enjoyed this honour, who coming over to England with
the Conqueror, was by him created Earl of Chester and
Sword-bearer of England; ffabendum et tenendum dictum
comitatum Cestriee, sibi et hceredibus suis9 ita libere ad
gladiu?n, si$ut ip$e rex totam tenebat Anglican ad coror
nam : To have and to hold the said county of Chester to
him and his heirs, by right of the sword, as freely and
securely as the king held the realm of England in the right

of

* Welsh Chron. p. 292. — We are not acquainted with the nature of the offence by
which Gruffydd had again incurred his father's displeasure. But there was a rigour
interwoven into the destiny of this gallant prince, which discoloured the whole tenor pf
his life, and has marked him the child of adversity.

f Welsh Chn.n.'p 293

\ A testimony of respect to her memory, which renders at least doubtful the criminal
part of her conduct; and may, in some degree, take away the stain which history has
cast upun her fa/ne.-— Welsh Chron. p. 293.— See note in History of Gwedir family.

HISTORY OF WALES. 231

of the crown. After five descents, Randolph Bohun came
to be Earl of Chester, who was uncle to this John, the last
Earl. This Randolph had several encounters with Prince
Lhewelyn, and was in continual warfare against him ; but
once more particularly meeting with the prince, and being
sensible of his inability to withstand him, he was obliged to
retire for refuge to the castle of Ruddlan, which the prince
immediately besieged. Randolph, perceiving himself to be
in danger, sent to Roger Lacy, constable of Chester, re-
qoesting him to raise what strength he possibly coold and
come to his assistance in this extremity ; upon which Lacy
called to him all his friends, and desired them to make all
the endeavours in their power to rescue the Earl from that
imminent danger which now threatened him : on this re-
quest, Ralph Dutton, son-in-law of Lacy, a valiant youth,
assembled together all the players and musicians, and such
others as then, being fair- time, had met to make merry,
and presenting them to the constable, he forthwith marched
to Ruddlan, raised the siege, and delivered the Earl from
his perilous situation. Tn recompence for this service, the
Earl granted to the constable several freedoms and privi-
leges; and to Dutton the ruling and ordering all players
and musicians within the said county, to be enjoyed by him
and by his heirs for ever.

In the year 1238, Prince Lheweiyn, being indisposed in A. D. 1238.
body, called onto him all the lords and barons of Wales to
Ystratflur,* where each of them swore to remain troe and
faithful sobjects, and did homage to David his son, whom
he had named to socceed him.t Matthew ParisJ writes,
that Prince Lhewelyn being impotent by reason of a palsy,
and sore disquieted by his son Gruffydh, sent ambassadors
to the king of England, signifying to him, that forasmojch
as he coold not expect to live long by reason of his age, he
was desiroos to lead the remainder of his days in peace and
tranquillity ; and therefore now purposed to subrnit himself
to the government and protection of the king, and would
hold his lands of him; promising withal, that whenever the
king should stand in need of his help, he would serve him
both with men and money to the utmost of his power.g
The bishops of Hereford and Chester were sent as mediators
in his behalf,]) though some of the nobility of Wales openly
and peremptorily withstood it, and upon no condition what-
soever would accept of such a peace.lf David being thus

declared

* Strata Florida,
•f Welsh Chron. p. 297.— British Ant. Reviv. by Vaughan of Hengwrt, p. 23.

J Matthew Paris, p. 369. § Welsh Chron. p. 297.

|| Brady's History of England, p. 567.— Matthew Paris, p. 369.

$ Welsh Chron. p. 298.— Matthew Paris, 369.— Matthew Westm. p. 110.

232 HISTORY OF WALES.

declared successor to the principality, began to molest his
brother Gruffydh, who, though his elder, was base-born,
and took from him Arustly, Ceri, Cyfeilioc, Mowdhwy,
Mocbnant, and Caereineon, and let him only enjoy the
Cantref of Lhyn ; but a little afterwards he dispossessed
him of all, and contrary to his oath to the bishop of Bangor,
in whose protection Gruffydh then remained, took him
prisoner, (having, upon promise that no violence should be
done to him, obtained an interview with him,) and sent him
A. D. 1240. to Cricieth castle.* Whilst these two brothers continued
to entertain an irreconcileable hatred one to another, their
father, Prince Lhewelyn ap lorwerth, to the great regret of
all the Welsh, departed this life, and was honourably in-
terred in the abbey of Conwey, after he had reigned fifty-six
years.f He was a prince of great courage, and had no less
prudence in contriving than boldness in executing any mar-
tial adventure; he was a great support to the Welsh, and
no less an annoyance to the English ; he made very consi-
derable conquests upon the borders, and extended the
frontiers of Wales much beyond their former limits.:}: He
had issue by his only wife Joan, daughter to King John of
England, one son called David, who afterwards succeeded
in the principality of Wales,§ and a daughter named Gladys,
who was married to Sir Ralph Mortimer.|| He had also a
base-born son, named Gruffydh, whom his brother David
kept a close prisoner to his dying day.

DAVID AP LHEWELYN.

JL RINCE Lhewelyn ap lorwerth being deceased, his
only legitimate son David, whom all the barons of Wales
had, as before stated, in his father's life-time, sworn to
obey, legally succeeded in the government; wherein being
actually confirmed, he went to the king of England to
Gloucester, and there did him homage for his principality ;
and all the barons, both English and Welsh, who held any
lands in Wales, in like manner did homage and fealty for
the same : but the English could not long refrain from their
wonted hostilities towards the Welsh ; and Gilbert Marshal,

taking

* A fortress situate on the verge of the sea in Caernarvonshire. — Welsh Chron. p. 208.
—•Matthew Paris, p. 470.

f Welsh Chron. p. 298.

I Mr. Warrington, at the close of this reign, says -" His talents and his virtues, with
the fortunate direction of both, have given to this prince the illustrious title of Lhcwdyn
the Great."

§ Brit. Ant. Reviv. by Vaughan of Hengwrt, p. 27.
|| Memoir of Guedir Family, p. 24.

HISTORY OF WALES. 233

taking advantage of the death of Lhewelyn before matters
were thoroughly settled, brought an army against the castle
of Aberteifi, which being delivered up to him, he fortified
with a strong garrison. Prince David was as yet too weak
to appear in the field; and the more so, because several
of his nobility and others did not bear true regard for him,
on account of the harsh treatment he had shown to his
brother Gruffydh, whom, for no just reason, he detained in
close custody : but above the rest, Richard bishop of Ban-
gor expressed himself strongly to the prince, and finding
that he had violated the promise that he had made to set
his brother at liberty, whom, under pretence of an amicable
consultation, he had fraudulently seized upon in the bishop's
presence, he without hesitation excommunicated him; and
then retiring to England, made an accusatory relation of the
whole matter to the king, wishing to have Gruffydh released
from prison before the rumour of an act so heinous should
reach the court of Rome, and thus reflect upon his Majesty's
reputation. The King thereupon sent to his nephew Prince
David, blaming him highly for such a treacherous action,
and for dealing so severely with his brother, and then
earnestly requested him to deliver Gruffydh out of custody,
both to save himself from perpetual condemnation, and that
he might obtain absolution from the severe sentence that
had been pronounced against him : but David absolutely
refused to comply with the king's desire, assuring him that
Wales would never enjoy peace as long as his brother
Gruffydh had his liberty.

Gruffydh being acquainted with his brother's resolution,
and thinking that thereby he had unquestionably displeased
the king of England, privately sent to King Henry, assuring
him, that if by force he would deliver him out of prison, he
would not only hold his lands for ever from him, but also
pay him the yearly acknowledgment of three hundred marks;
offering both to give his corporal oath, and deliver up suf-
ficient pledges, for the performance of it; and withal
offering to assist the king with all his power in bringing in
the rest of the Welsh to his subjection. Gruffydh ap
Madawc, Lord of Bromfield, also positively assured the
king, that in case he would lead an army into Wales, to
revenge the treachery and injurious practices of David, he
would give him all possible aid and assistance. King
Henry, besides this solemn invitation, had no slight pre-
tence for coming to Wales ; for Richard bishop of Bangor,
an impetuous man, had prosecuted the matter so warmly at
Rome, that the Pope also excommunicated David, which
excommunication being denounced against hirn, his lands

were

234 HISTORY OF WALES.

were nominally forfeited. The king being chiefly allured
by the promises of the Welsh in the behalf of Gruffydh,
levied a very formidable army to lead to Wales ; strictly
commanding, by proclamation, all the English who owed
him any martial service to repair armed to Gloucester by
the beginning of autumn. This rendezvous being accord-
ingly performed, the king came thither in person at the
time appointed, and having regulated his troops, and put
all matters in convenient order, he marched to Shrewsbury,
where he remained fifteen days to refresh his army.*
During his stay there several of the nobility became suitors
unto him on behalf of Gruffydh, whose condition they
desired he would commiserate ; among whom were, Ralph
Lord Mortimer, of Wigmore; Walter Clifford; Roger de
Monte Alto, Steward of Chester ; Maelgon ap Maelgon ;
Meredith ap Rotpert, Lord of Cydewen; Gruffydh ap
Madawc, of Bromfield ; Howel and Meredith, the sons of
Conan ap Owen Gwynedh; and Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn,
Lord of Powys.f These noblemen prevailed so far with
King Henry, that a league was concluded between him and
SenenaJ the wife of Gruffydh, and for the performance of
the articles thereof, the aforesaid noblemen offered to be
securities, and bound themselves by their several writings.
As if all things had now conspired together against Prince
David, several persons that had been at continual variance
and enmity among themselves to this time, were now, by
reason that they equally favoured Gruffydh's cause, made
friends : thus, Morgan ap Howel, lord of Cery, made his
reconciliation with Sir Ralph Mortimer, and his submission
to King Henry, in a very solemn manner. In the same
form several others of the nobility submitted to the king ;
as, Owen ap Howel, Maelgon ap Maelgon, Meredith ap
Meredith, Howel ap Cadwalhon, and Cadwalhon ap Howel.
David finding himself thus relinquished by the greatest
part of his nobility, and particularly by Gruffydh ap
Madawc, lord of Bromfield, whom he chiefly feared, by
reason of his great wisdom and power, and that he was
much esteemed by the king of England, could not easily
determine how to conduct himself in this perplexity of
affairs : but in the end, considering with himself what a
powerful army King Henry brought against him, and how
much he himself was weakened by the defection of his sub-
jects, he thought it most advisable to bow to the king, and
therefore with all speed sent him his submission. §

Prince

* Matthew Paris, p. 506. f Welsh Chron. p. 301. J Sina.

§ The approaches into Wales this summer had been rendered very easy by a long
drought, which having continued four months, had dried up the marshes.

HISTORY OF WALES. 235

Prince David having given a plenary submission to the
king, desired, that being his nephew, and the lawful heir
and successor of his father Prince Lhewelyn, he should
enjoy the principality of Wales, rather than GrufFydh, who
was illegitimate, and in. no wise related to the king ; as-
suring him further, that the war would never be at an end,
if he was set at liberty. King Henry knowing well the
truth of all this, and withal being assured that GrufFydh
was not only valiant himself, but had likewise very powerful
abettors and promoters of his cause, was very much inclined
to assent to David's request, and to prevent any farther
troubles, willingly granted it. Therefore David, in a while
after, sent his brother GrufFydh to the king, together with
the pledges promised for the performance of the articles
lately agreed upon ; wiio were all sent to the Tower of A. D. 1241.
London to be kept in safe custody ;* GrufFydh being
allowed a noble a-day to provide himself with necessaries. f
Shortly afterwards, David came himself to London, and
after he had done his homage, and sworn fealty to the King
of England, returned to Wales, being honourably and
peaceably dismissed. As soon as GrufFydh discovered
King Henry's intention, and that it was the least part of his
design to set him at liberty, having flatly denied the Bishop
of Bangor his request therein, he began to devise means
whereby he might make his escape out of the Tower ; and,
having one night deceived his keepers, he let himself down
from the top of the building, by a line which he had com-
posed out of the sheets and hangings of his room ; but they
being too weak to bear his weight, (as he was a heavy
corpulent person,) let him down headlong to the ground, by
the greatness of which fall he was crushed to pieces, and
expired immediately.^: King Henry being informed of this
unhappy accident, severely punished the officers for their
inexcusable neglect, and ordered that his son, who was
kept prisoner with him in the Tower, should be more closely
observed.

After this King Henry fortified the castle of Dyserth, in
Flintshire ; and for their past service, or rather to oblige
them to the like thereafter, granted to GrufFydh ap Gwen-
wynwyn all his estate in Powys, and to the sons of Conan

ap

* They were sent in the custody of Sir John Lexington, with orders that the prince
and his son Owen should be confined in the Tower. — Matthew Paris, p. 306. — Welsh
Chron. p. 307.

t Matthew Paris, p. 545.— Hollinshead, p. 228.

I Matthew Paris, p. 545. — Stowe's Chron. p. 186.— His son Owen, and Sina his wife,
who had shared in his tedious captivity, were the witnesses of this melancholy spectacle.
— Ibid. — Matthew Paris says, that he fell with such violence that his head and neck were
nearly driven into his body.

236 HISTORY OF WALES.

ap Owen Gwynedh their lands in Merioneth.* The next
A. D. 1242. year Maelgon Fychan fortified the castle of Garth gru°:yn,
John de Mynoc the castle of Buelht, and Roger Mortimer
that of Melyenyth : but all these preparations were of no
avail ; for early in the following year, King Henry came
with an army into Wales, and began to molest the Welsh,
and without any just pretence forcibly to seize upon their
lands and estates. Indeed, after the death of Gruffydh, he
was much inclined no longer to keep his promise to David,
and therefore intended to grant his eldest son Edward the
principality of Wales, whom he thought to oblige the
Welsh to obey. Prince David, understanding his design,
levied all his power for the defence of his just right ; yet
finding himself unable to withstand the army of the English,
purposed to effect that by policy which he could not attain
by force. He sent therefore to the Pope, complaining that
King Henry of England compelled him unjustly to hold his
lands of him, and that, without any legal pretence, he seized
the estates of the Welsh at his pleasure ; telling him further
that Prince Lhewelyn his father had left him and the
principality of Wales to the protection of the see of Rome,f
to which he was willing to pay the yearly sum of five
hundred marks,J obliging himself and his successors by
oath for the due performance of this payment. The Pope
(as may be supposed) gladly accepted the offer, and there-
upon gave commission to the two Abbots of Aberconwey
and Cymer, to absolve David from his oath of allegiance to
the King of England, and having enquired into the whole
state of the quarrel, to transmit an account of it to him.
The abbots, according to this their commission, directed a
very positive mandate to the King of England, who, ad-
miring the strange presumption and confidence of these
abbots, or more the insatiable avarice and greediness of the
Pope, sent also to Rome, and with a greater sum of money,
easily adjusted all matters, his Holiness being very desirous
to make the most of both parties.

Prince David, finding that the Pope minded his own
gain, more than to justify his complaints against the King of
England, thought it to no purpose to rely upon his faith,
but deemed it more advisable to vindicate himself by force
of arms. Having therefore gathered his forces together,
(being now reconciled to and followed by all the nobility of
Wales, excepting Gruflfydh ap Gwenwynwyn and Morgan
ap Howel, who also shortly after submitted to him,) he

drew

* Welsh Chron. p. 308. f Matthew Paris, p. 552.
f Matthew Wcstm. p. 139.— Matthew Paris, pp. 550, 573.— Brady, p. 592.

HISTORY OF WALES. 237

drew up his army to the marches, intending to be revenged
upon the Earls of Clare and Hereford, John de Monmouth,
Roger de Monte Alto, and others, who injured and
oppressed his people ; with whom he fought divers times,
and with various success : but in the Lent-time next year, A. D. 1245.
the Marchers and the Welsh met near Montgomery, between
whom was fought a very severe battle ; the governor of that
castle being general of the English, and having cunningly
placed a body of men in ambuscade, pretended, after some
short engagement, to flee, whom the Welsh daringly pursu-
ed, not thinking of any treachery : as soon, however, as they
were past the ambush, up rose an unexpected party, who,
falling upon the rear of the Welsh, put them in very great
disorder, and killed about three hundred men,* though not
without a considerable loss on their own side ; and among
the slain was a valiant knight called Hubert Fitz-Matthew.f
King Henry being weary of these perpetual skirmishes and
daily bickerings between the English and Welsh, thought
to put an end to the whole at one stroke ; and therefore
raised a great army of English and Gascoigns, and entered
North Wales, purposing to waste and destroy the country :
but before he had advanced very far, Prince David inter-
cepted him in a narrow pass, and so violently attacked his
forces, that a great number of his nobility and bravest
soldiers, and nearly all the Gascoigns, were slain. The
king, finding he could effect nothing against the Welsh,
invited over the Irish, who, landing in Anglesey, began to
pillage and waste the country ; but the inhabitants gather-
ing themselves together in a body, quickly forced them to
their ships : after which, King Henry having victualled and
manned all his castles, returned dissatisfied to England.

Concerning this expedition to Wales, and the continuance
of the English army therein, a certain person in the camp
wrote to this effect to his friends in England :f ( The king
( with his army is encamped at Gannock, and is busy in
' fortifying that place, sufficiently strong already, about
f which we lay in our tents, in watching, fasting, praying,
' and freezing. We watch for fear of the Welsh, who were
f used to come suddenly upon us in the night-time : we fast
' for want of provision, the halfpenny loaf being now risen
* and advanced to five pence: we pray that we may speedily
' return safe and scot-free home : and we freeze for want of
' winter garments, having but a thin linen shirt to keep us
' from the wind. There is a small arm of the sea under

'the

* Matthew Paris, p. 575.

t He was killed by a large stone rolled from the mountains.
J Matthew Paris, p. 508.

238 HISTORY OF WALES.

( the castle where we lie, which the tide reaches, by the
6 conveniency of which many ships bring us provision and
( victuals from Ireland and Chester : this arm lies betwixt
f us and Snowdon, where the Welsh are encamped, and is
' in breadth, when the tide is in, about a bow-shot. Now
' it happened, that upon the Monday before Michaelmas-

< day, an Irish vessel came up to the mouth of the haven
' with provision to be sold to our camp, which being negli-
6 gently looked to by the mariners, was upon the low ebb
' stranded on the other side of the castle, near the Welsh.
6 The enemy perceiving this, descended from the mountains

< and laid siege to the ship, which was fast upon the dry
( sands ; whereupon we detached in boats three hundred
6 Welsh of the borders of Cheshire and Shropshire, with
( some archers and armed men, to rescue the ship : but the
' Welsh, upon the approach of our men, withdrew them-
f selves to their usual retirements in the rocks and woods,
6 and were pursued for about two miles by our men afoot,
e who slew a great number of them : but in their return
* back, our soldiers being too covetous and greedy of
( plunder, among other sacrilegious and profane actions,
( spoiled the abbey of Aberconwey, and burnt all the books
( and other choice utensils belonging to it. The Welsh
f being distracted at these irreligious practices, got together
( in great number, and in a desperate manner setting upon
( the English, killing a great number of them, and following
6 the rest to the water-side, forced as many as could not
( make their escape into the boats, to commit themselves to
' the mercy of the waves. Those they took prisoners they
' thought to reserve for exchange ; but hearing how we put
f some of their captive nobility to death, they altered their
6 minds, and in a revengeful manner scattered their dila-
f cerated carcases along the surface of the water. In this
' conflict we lost a considerable number of our men, and
( chiefly those under the command of Richard Earl of Corn-
6 wal; as Sir Alan Buscell, Sir Adam de Maio, Sir Geflfry
' Estuemy, and one Raimond a Gascoign, with about a
' hundred common soldiers. In the mean time, Sir Walter
' Bisset stoutly defended the ship till midnight, when the
6 tide returned ; whereupon the Welsh, who assailed us on
( all sides, were forced to withdraw, being much concerned
e that we had so happily escaped their hands. The cargo
f of this ship was three hundred hogsheads of wine, with
( plenty of other provisions for the army, which at that time
' it stood in very great need of. The next morning, how-
' ever, when the sea was returned, the Welsh came merrily

' down

HISTORY OF WALES. 239

( down again to the ship, thinking to surprise our men ; but
6 as luck would have it, they had at full sea the night before
' relinquished the ship, and returned safe to the camp.
c The enemy missing our men, set upon the cargo of the
' ship, and carried away all the wine and other provisions;
' and then, when the sea began to flow, they put fire to the
' vessel and returned to the rest of the army. And thus we
' lay encamped in great misery and distress for want of
( necessaries, exposed to great and frequent dangers, and in
' great fear of the private assaults and sudden incursions of
' our enemies. Oftentimes we set upon and assailed the

* Welsh, and in one conflict we carried away a hundred

* head of cattle, which very triumphantly we conveyed to
( our camp : for the scarcity of provisions was then so great,
( that there remained but one hogshead of wine in the whole
( army ; a bushel of corn being sold for twenty shillings, a
' fed ox for three or four marks, and a hen for eight pence ;
' so that there happened a very lamentable mortality both of
' man and horse, for want of necessary sustenance.'*

The English army having undergone such miseries as are
here described, and King Henry, as is said, perceiving it
was in vain for him to continue any longer in Wales, where
he was sure to gain no great credit, he returned with his
army into England, being not very desirous to make another
expedition into Wales. Then all the nobility and barons of
Wales, and those that had favoured and maintained Gruf-
fydh's cause, were made friends and reconciled to Prince
David, to whom they vowed true and perpetual allegiance :f
but the Prince did not long survive this amity and agree-
ment made between him and his subjects, for falling sick
toward the beginning of this year, he died in March, at his A. D, 124(5,
palace in Aber, and was buried at Conway, leaving no issue
to succeed.:J: The only thing unpardonable in this prince,
was his over-jealousy and severity against his brother
GrufFydh, a person so well beloved of the Welsh, that upon
his account their affection was much cooled, and in some
entirely alienated from their prince. Thus much, however,
may be said for David, that GrufFydh was a valorous and an
aspiring man, and if set at liberty, would probably have

ejected

* Perhaps a reservation was made for a due supply of provisions for the castle of
Gannock (a name given by the English to the castle of Diganwy), which, it appears, was
.completely furnished with every necessary on the king's departure. In one of these
conflicts, the English having the advantage, they brought in triumph to their camp the
heads of nearly one hundred Welshmen.— Matthew Paris, p. 598.

f During these transactions, David the Prince, being sick and oppressed with cares,
frequently retired io his camp at Tintaiol, to refresh himself, and recover from the
fatigues of war.— Matthew Paris, p. 599.

% Matthew Paris, pp. 608, 610.

240 HISTORY OF WALES.

ejected him out of his principality ; which King Henry of
England too (who thought he might bring over David, a
milder man, to what terms he pleased,) was sensible of
when he would by no persuasion dismiss him from custody
in the Tower of London. This occasioned all the disturb-
ances that happened in his time, the Welsh themselves, for
the love they bore to Gruffydh, inviting the King of
England to come to invade their country, and to correct the
unnatural enmity their prince expressed to his brother : but
when all differences were over, the King of England being
returned with his army in disgrace, and the prince and his
nobility reconciled, the Welsh might have expected a very
happy time of it, had not death taken the Prince away,
before he had well known what a peaceful reign was.*

LHEWELYN AP GRUFFYDH.

JL RINCE David being dead, the principality of North
Wales legally descended to Sir Ralph Mortimer, in right of
his wife Gladys, daughter to Lhewelyn ap lorwerth : but
the Welsh nobility being assembled together for the elect-
ing and nominating a successor, thought it by no means
advisable to admit a stranger to the crown, though his title
was ever so lawful; and especially an Englishman, by
whose obligations to the crown of England, they must of
necessity expect to become subjects, or rather slaves to the
English government. Wherefore they unanimously agreed
to set up Lhewelyn and Owen Goch, the sons of Gruffydh,
a base son of Lhewelyn ap lorwerth, and brother to Prince
David ;f who being sent for, and appearing before the
assembly, all the nobles and barons then present, did them
homage, and received them for their sovereigns : but as soon
as the King of England heard of the death of the Prince of
Wales, he thought, the country being in an unsettled and
wavering condition, he might effect great matters there;
and, therefore, he sent one Nicholas de Miles to South
Wales, with the title of Justice of that country, with whom
he joined in commission Meredith ap Rhys Gryc, and

Meredith

* We have now seen the Welsh nation subject to the most distant extremes of fortune.
Their annals, in rapid succession, are marked with striking vicissitudes. Influenced by
sudden, and often by hidden springs, we have seen them, by uniting their strength, and
exciting its force, rising up to the height of prosperity ; and then, from causes which
were equally capricious, falling in a moment into disunion and vassalage.

f These young princes were the sons of GrufFydh ap Llewelyn, who some years before
had been killed by attempting to escape out of the Tower of London. — Welsh Chron.
p. 314.

HISTORY OF WALES. 241

Meredith ap Owen ap Gruflfydh, to eject and disinherit
Maelgon Fychan of all his lands and estate in South Wales,
The like injurious practices were committed against Howel
ap Meredith, who was forcibly robbed of all his estate in
Glamorgan by the Earl of Clare. These unreasonable ex-^
tortions being insupportable, Maelgon and Howel made
known their grievances to the Princes of North Wales, de-
siring their succour and assistance for the recovery of their
lawful inheritance from the encroachments of the English :
but the King of England, understanding their design, led
his army into Wales ; upon whose arrival, the Welsh with-
drew themselves to Snowdon hills, where they so wearied
theEnglish army, that the king, finding he could do no good>
after some stay there, returned to England. Within a while
after, Ralph Mortimer, the husband of Gladys Dhu, died ;
leaving his whole estate, and with it a lawful title to the
principality of North Wales, to his son Sir Roger Mortimer.*

The next year nothing memorable passed between the A. D. 1247 .
English and the Welsh, only the dismal effects of the last
year's expedition were not worn off; the ground being in-
capable of cultivation, and the cattle being in great measure
destroyed by the English, occasioned great poverty and
want in the country :f but the greatest calamity befel the
bishops ; St. Asaph and Bangor being destroyed and burnt
by the English, the bishops thereof were reduced to such an
extremity, as to get their subsistence by other men's charity ;
the bishop of St. David's at this time died, and the bishop
of Llandaft" had the misfortune to become blind. In the
bishoprick of St. David's succeeded Thomas^ surnamed
Wallensis, by reason that he was born in Wales, who think- ,
ing it incumbent upon him to benefit his own country as far
as lay in his power, desired to be advanced from the arch-
deaconry of Lincoln to that see: which the king easily
granted, and confirmed him in it. The next summer proved 1248.
somewhat more favourable to the Welsh ; Rhys Fychan,
son of Rhys Mechyl, won from the English the castle of
Carrec-Cynnen, which his unkind mother, out of malice, or
some ill opinion entertained of him, had some time before
privately delivered up to them j and about the same time

the
R

* Oppressed by the hated laws of England, the Welsh at this period had neither
opportunity nor spirit to carry on commerce, nor to cultivate their land, and in conse-
quence were perishing by famine. They were likewise deprived of the usual pasturage
for their cattle ; and to recite the words of an old writer, expressive of their bondage,
" the harp of the churchman is changed info sorrow and lamentations : the glory of
their proud and ancient nobility is faded away"

f Matthew Paris, p. 739.

242 HISTORY OF WALES.

the body of Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn, base son of Lhewelyn
ap lorwerth, was recovered from the King of England, by
the earnest solicitations of the abbots of Conway and Ystrat-
flur ; who, conveying it to Conway, bestowed upon it a very
pompous and honourable interment.*

A.D. 1255. After this, the affairs of the Welsh proceeded peaceably
for a considerable time, and the country had .sufficient
opportunity to recover its former state of plenty ; but
eventually, fulfilling the proverb that plenty begets war ;
they began, for want of a foreign enemy, to quarrel among
themselves. Owen was too arrogant and ambitious to be
satisfied with half the principality, and therefore would
endeavour to obtain the whole ; wherein fortune so far de-
ceived him, that he lost his own portion of it, as will after-
wards appear. The better to encompass his design, he, by
artful insinuations, persuaded David his younger brother to
espouse his cause ; and they with joint interest levied to the
extent of their power, with intention to dethrone their elder
brother Lhewelyn ; but that was not an easy matter ; for
Lhewelyn was prepared to receive them, and with a power-
ful army met them in the field, with a determination to
venture all upon the fortune of a battle. It was strange and
grievous to behold this unnatural civil war ; and the more
grievous now, because it so manifestly lessened the power of
the Welsh to withstand the incursions of the English, who
were much pleased with so favourable an opportunity to
attack them ; but they were too far engaged to consider of
future inconveniencies, and a trial of war they would have,
though the English were ready to fall upon* both armies.
The battle commenced with much slaughter on both sides,
and which was likely to conquer was not immediately dis-
covered ; but at length Owen began to give way, and in the
end was overthrown, himself and his brother David being
taken prisoners.! Lhewelyn, though he had sufficient
reason, would not put his brothers to death ; but, commit-
ting them into close prison, seized all their estates into his
own hands, and so enjoyed the whole principality of Wales.
The English, seeing the Welsh were thus oppressing and
destroying one another, thought they had full license to deal
with them as they pleased ; and thereupon began to exercise
every description of wrong and injustice against them ; inso-
1256. much that the next year, all the lords of Wales came in a
body to Prince Lhewelyn, and declared their grievances,
how unmercifully Prince Edward (whom his father had sent

to

* Rymer, p. 443.— Welsh Chron. p. 319.
t Welsh Chron. p. 319.— Annales Burton, p. 386.

HISTORY OF WALES. 243

to Wales) and others of the nobility of England dealt with
them, for without any colour of justice they seized upon
their estates, without any opportunity for appeal, and if
they in person offended in the least, they were punished to
the utmost extremity. In fine, they solemnly declared that
they preferred to die honourably in the field, rather than be
so unmercifully enslaved to the will artd pleasure of strangers.
Prince Lhewelyn was riot uninformed as to all this; and
now having clearly discovered the intent and inclination of
his subjects* Was resolved to effect, if possible, the expulsion
of the English, and to be revenged upon them for their most
cruel and almost inhuman practices towards the Welsh,
Having therefore drawn all his power together, being ac-
companied by Meredith ap RhysGryc, he in the space of one
week recovered out of the hands of the English all the inland
country of North Wales, and then all Merionyth, with such
lands as Prince Edward had usurped in Cardigan, which he
bestowed upon Meredith the son of Owen ap Gruftydh.
Having also forced Rhys Fychan out of Buelht, he conferred
it upon Meredith ap Rhys ; and in like manner distributed
all the lands which he recovered among his nobles; re-
serving nothing to his own use, excepting Gwerthryneon3
the estate of Sir Roger Mortimer.* The next summer he A. D. 1257.
entered into Powys^f and made war against Gruffydh ap
Gwenwynwyn, (who always had taken part with and owned
subjection to the King of England,) whom he completely
overcame, bringing under his authority all his country, ex-
cepting the castle of Pool, some small part of Caereineon^
and the country lying upon the banks of the Severn.

Rhys Fychan was not satisfied with the loss of Buelht,
and therefore was resolved to try to recover it; to which
end, he went to the King of England, of whom he obtained
a very strong army, commanded by one Stephen Bacon,
which being sent by sea, landed at Caermardhyn in the
Whitsun-week. From thence the English marched to
Dynefawr, and laid siege to the castle, which was valiantly
defended until Lhewelyn's army came to their relief Upon
the arrival of the Welsh, the English withdrew from before
the castle, and put themselves in a position of battle, which
the Welsh perceiving, they made all haste to meet and
oppose them : whereupon there ensued a terrible engage-
ment, which lasted a very long time ; this being, for number
of men, the greatest battle that had been fought between the
English and the Welsh : but the victory favoured the Welsh,

the
R 2
* Welsh Chron. p. 330. f Matthew Paris, p. 806.

244 HISTORY OF WALES.

the Englishmen being at length forced to fly, having lost
above two thousand men, besides several barons and knights
who were taken prisoners. After this, the prince's army
passed to Dyfed, where, having burnt all the country, and
destroyed the castles of Abercorran, Lhanstephan, Maen-
clochoc, and Arberth, with all the towns thereunto belong-
ing, they returned to North Wales with much spoil.* As
soon as he was arrived in North Wales, great complaints
were exhibited to Prince Lhewelyn against Geoffrey
Langley,f lieutenant to Edward Earl of Chester, who,
without any regard to equity, most wrongfully oppressed
the inhabitants of Wales under his jurisdiction : whereupon
the prince, to punish the master for the servant's fault,
entered with some part of his army into the earl's estate,
and burnt and destroyed all his country on both sides the
river Dee to the gates of Chester.! Edward had no power
at the time to oppose him, but being resolved to be revenged
upon the Welsh the first opportunity, he desired aid of his
uncle, then chosen King of the Romans, who sent him a
strong detachment of troops, with which he purposed to
give Prince Lhewelyn battle : finding him, however, too
strong, he thought it more adviseable to desist from hostility,
the prince's army consisting of ten thousand experienced
men, who were obliged by oath rather all to die in the field
than to suffer the English to gain any advantage over the
Welsh : but Gruffydh ap Madoc Maelor, Lord of Dinas
Bran,§ a person of notorious reputation for injustice and
oppression, basely forsook the Welsh his countrymen, and
with all his forces went over to the Earl of Chester.
A.D. 1258. The next year Prince Lhewelyn passed to South Wales,
and seized into his hands the land of Cemaes, and having
reconciled the difference between Rhys Gryg and Rhys
Fychan, he won the castle of Trefdraeth, with the whole
country of Rhos, excepting Haverford. Then he marched
in an hostile manner towards Glamorgan, and rased to the
ground the castle of Lhangymwch ; and thence returning to
North Wales, he met by the way with Edward Earl of
Chester, whom he forced to return precipitately. Before,
however, he concluded this expedition, he would be revenged
upon that ungrateful fugitive Gruffydh ap Madoc Maelor,
and thereupon passing through Bromfield, he laid waste the

whole

* Welsh Chron. pp. 320, 322.

t Brady, pp. 721, 722. — It is probable he succeeded Alan de Zouch, who had brought
into England much treasure in carts out of Wales.

J Chron. of Thomas Wyke, p. 50.— Matthew Paris, pp. 805, 806, 810.
§ Near Llangollen, in Denbighshire.— Welsh Chron. p, 255,

HISTORY OF WALES. 245

whole country.* Upon this the Kings of England and
Scotland sent to Lhewelyn, requesting him to cease from
hostility, and from thus unmercifully wasting, and forcibly
taking away other men's estates. The prince was not over
willing to hearken to their request ; on the contrary, finding
the time of the year very seasonable for action against the
English, he divided his army into two divisions, each of
them consisting of 1500 foot and 500 horse, with which he
purposed to enlarge his conquest. Edward Earl of Chester,
to prevent the blow which so imminently hung over his
head, sent over to Ireland for succours j of whose coming
Prince Lhewelyn being certified, he manned a fleet to
intercept them, which meeting with the Irish at sea, after a
smart attack forced them to return back with loss. King
Henry, being informed of the miscarriage of the Irish,
resolved to come in person against the Welsh, and having
drawn together the whole strength of England, from St.
Michael's Mount in Cornwall to the river Tweed, marched
with his son Edward in great indignation to North Wales,
and without any opposition advanced as far as Diganwy :f
but the prince had obstructed his farther progress and pre-
vented him making any long stay in Wales, by previously
causing all kinds of provision and forage to be carried over
the river, and then securing the strait and narrow passages
whereby the English might have got farther into the coun-
try ; in consequence of which the army was in a short time
so greatly fatigued, that the king for want of necessary
subsistence was forced to retire in haste to England with
considerable loss.

The prince, after that, sending for all the forces in South
Wales, came to the marches, where Gruffydh Lord of
Bromfield, finding that the King of England was not able to
defend his estate, yielded himself up,J and then passing to

Powys.

* Matthew Paris, p. 80.6. f Welsh Chron. p. 321.

J The late events had given a fortunate turn to affairs. The present prosperity of the
Welsh, the spoils they had taken from the enemy, the general confederacy which had been
lately renewed, and the return of Gruffydh ap Madoc to his allegiance, had diffused
through every bosom the hopes of better days. To raise these hopes into pious con-
fidence, Lhewelyn addressed his followers in this consolatory and animating language :—
" Thus far," said he, " the Lord God of Hosts hath helped 'us j for it must appear to all
" that the advantages we have obtained are not to be ascribed to our own strength, but
" to the favour of God, who can as easily save by few as by many. How should we, a
" poor, weak, and unwarlike people, compared with the English, dare to contend with so
" mighty a power, if God did not patronise our cause ? His eye has seen our affliction ;
" not only those injuries we have suffered from Geoffrey de Langley, but those also
« which we have received from other cruel instruments of Henry, and of Edward. From
" this moment our all is at stake, if we fall into the hands of the enemy we are to expect no
" mercy. Let us then stand firm to each other. It is our union alone which can render
" us invincible. You see in what manner the King of England treats his own subjects, how

"he

246 HISTORY OF WALES.

Powys, the prince banished Gruflfydh ap Gwenwynwyn, and
took all the lands of that country into his own hands. Pro-
ceeding farther, he was encountered with by Gilbert de
Clare Earl of Gloucester, who with a chosen body of
English forces gave him battle : but Lhewelyn's army,
exceeding them both in number and courage, they easily
vanquished and overcame the English, and the victory being
quickly obtained, the prince immediately reduced to his
power all the castles belonging to the Earl of Gloucester.
King Henry, hearing of the Earl's overthrow, was much
concerned at the loss of so many brave soldiers, in whose
valour and experience he had always put great confidence,
and therefore, to revenge their deaths, he again resolved to
march against the Welsh. Having called his forces
together, and received supplies from Gascoign and Ireland,
he came to Wales, but not daring to venture far into the
country, for fear of being forced to make another igno-
minious retreat, he contented himself with destroying the
corn near the borders, it being harvest time, and so returned
to England. At this time, however, Lord James Audley,
whose daughter was married to Gruflfydh Lord of Brom-
field, did more mischief and injury to the Welsh ; for,
having brought over a great number of horsemen from
Germany to serve against the Welsh, they were so terrified
by the unusual large size of the horses, and the unac-
customed manner of fighting used by the Germans, that in the
first encounter the Welsh were easily overcome : but, intend-
ing to revenge this disgrace, and withal being better
acquainted with their method of arms, the Welsh in a
short time after made inroads into the Lord Audley 's lands,
where the Germans immediately attacked them, and pursued
them tq certain narrow passages, to which the WTelsh
designedly made their retreat. The Germans, thinking
they had entirely driven the Welsh away, returned care-
lessly back, but being suddenly attacked, when they had no
thought of an enemy being behind them, they were nearly
all slain by the Welsh that had thus rallied. This year a
very great scarcity of oxen and horses happened in
England, whereof several thousands yearly were supplied

out

" he seizes their estates, impoverishes their families, and alienates their minds. Will he
" then spare us, after all the provocations we have given him, and the farther acts of
" hostility and revenge which we meditate against him? No ; it is evidently his intention
" to blot out our name from under the face of heaven. Is it not better then at once to
" die, and go to God, than to live for a time at the capricious will of another, and at last
" to suffer some ignominious death assigned us by an insulting enemy ?" Animated by
this oration, the Welsh infested the English borders with incessant inroads ; in the course
of their ravages, by fire, by the sword, and by plunder, they rendered the frontier a scene
of desolation.

HISTORY OF WALES. 247

out of Wales ; in consequence of which, the marches were
completely despoiled of all their breed, and not so much as
a beast was to be seen in all the borders.

The next spring all the nobility of Wales assembled A. D. 1259.
together and took their mutual oaths to defend their coun-
try even to death, against the oppressive invasions of the
English, and not to relinquish and forsake one another
under the penalties of perjury : but Meredith ap Rhys of
South Wales violated this agreement, and put himself into
the service of the King of England. King Henry was now
prepared to attack the Welsh, and for this purpose he
summoned a parliament, wherein he proposed to raise a
subsidy towards the conquest of Wales, being not able of
himself to bear the expenses of this war, in consequence of
several losses he had already received, the country of
Pembroke being lately destroyed and taken by the Welsh,
where they found plenty of salt, of which article they were,
at that time, in great need.* William de Valentia accused
the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester as the authors of the
intended war, and quite broke all their measures, so that the
king was forced to prorogue the parliament for a time
without any grant of a subsidy : but in a short time after, it
sat at Oxford, where King Henry and Edward his son took
a solemn oath to observe the laws and statutes of the realm,
and the same being tendered to Guy and William, the king's
brothers, and to Henry, son to the King of Almain, and to
Earl Warren, they refused to take it, and departed. In
this parliament the lords of Wales openly offered to be tried
by the laws for any offence they had unjustly committed
against the king, which was chiefly opposed by Edward,
who caused one Patrick de Canton (to whom the lordship of
Cydwely was given, in case he could win and keep the
same) to be sent to Caermardhyn as lieutenant for the king,
with whom Meredith ap Rhys was joined in commission.
Being arrived at Caermardhyn, Patrick sent to the prince,
to desire him to appoint commissioners to treat with hini
concerning a peace, which he consented to, and, without any
suspicion of treachery, sent Meredith ap Owen and Rhys
ap Rhys to Emlyn, to conclude the same if possible: but
Patrick, meaning no such thing, laid an ambuscade for the
Welsh, who coming unsuspectingly forward, were by the
way villainously attacked by the English, and a great many
were slain ; those' that happily escaped, however, raised an
alarm in the country, and immediately gave chase to Patrick

and

* In consequence of their brine works having been destroyed by King Henry .-
Matthew Paris, p. 819.

248 HISTORY OF WALES.

and his accomplices, who being at length overtaken, were
almost all put to the sword. Prince Lhewelyn was, not-
withstanding, wholly bent upon a peace, and not only
desired it, but was willing to purchase it for a sum of
money, for which purpose he offered to give the king 4000
marks, to his son 300, and 200 to the queen, which the
king utterly refused, replying, That it was not a sufficient
recompense for all the damages he had suffered by the
Welsh. Matthew of Westminster reports, that about
Michaelmas this year, the Bishop of Bangor was com-
missioned by the prince and nobility of Wales to treat with
the King of England about a peace, and to offer him 16,000
pounds for the same, upon these conditions, that, according
to their ancient custom, the Welsh should have all causes
tried and determined at Chester, and that they should
freely enjoy the laws and customs of their own country ; but
what was the result of this treaty, my author does not
mention.

A. D. 1260. There being no hope of a peace, Prince Lhewelyn early
next year appeared in the field, and passed to South Wales,
and first attacked Sir Roger Mortimer, who, contrary to his
oath, supported the King of England in his quarrel.
Having forcibly dispossessed him of all Buelht, and with-
out any opposition taken the castle, where was found a

1261. plentiful magazine, he marched through all South Wales,
confirming his conquest, and afterwards returned to his
palace at Aber, between Bangor and Conway. The year

1262. following, Owen ap Meredith Lord of Cydewen died : but

1263. the next summer was somewhat more noted for action, as a
party of Prince Lhewelyn's men took by surprise the castle
of Melienyth, belonging to Sir Roger Mortimer, and
having put the other part of the garrison to the sword, they
took Howel ap Meyric, the governor, with his wife and
children, prisoners ; and after that the castle was demolished
by the prince's order. Sir Roger Mortimer, hearing of
this, with a great body of lords and knights came to
Melienyth, where Prince Lhewelyn met him ; but Sir
Roger, not daring to hazard a battle, planted himself within
the ruins, and finding his force could be of no avail, desired
leave of the prince to retire peaceably. The Prince, upon
the account of relation and near consanguinity betwixt them,
and withal because he would not be so mean spirited as to
fall upon an enemy that had no power to resist him, let him
safely depart with his forces, and then passed on himself to
Brecknock, at the request of the people of that country, who
swore fidelity unto him, after which he returned to North

Wales :

HISTORY OF WALES. 249

Wales : and now being confederate with the barons against
King Henry, he was resolved to do something to the injury
of the English ; he therefore invaded the earldom of
Chester, and destroyed the castles of Diganwy and
Diserth belonging to Edward, who came thither, but was
unable to prevent the Welsh committing the injury they
intended. The next year John Strange, junior, constable of A. D. 1264.
Montgomery, with a great number of marchers, came a little
before Easter by night, through Ceri to Cydewen, intending
to surprise the castle, which when the people of the country
understood, they gathered together, and attacking the forces
of Strange, slew two hundred of his men, but he himself
with a few of his troops got safely back.

Within a short time after, the marchers and the Welsh
met again near a place called Clun, where a warm engage-
ment happened between them, in which the Welsh were
worsted, and had a great number of their men slain. After
this, nothing remarkable fell out for a considerable time,
unless it were, that David, being released out of prison by
Prince Lhewelyn his brother, most ungratefully forsook him,
and with all his power leagued with his enemies the
English ; also Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn, having taken the
castle of Mold, rased it to the ground. During this com-
paratively quiet and inactive interval in Wales, Meredith
ap Owen, the main support and defender of South Wales,
died, to the great disadvantage of the affairs of that country:
and now indeed, the Welsh were likely to be made sensible 1268.
of the loss of so considerable a person, for King Henry
resolved once more to lead an army into Wales, and to try
if he could have better success than he had hitherto
obtained against the Welsh : but when he was prepared to
undertake this expedition, Ottobonus, Pope Clement's
legate in England, interposed and procured a peace, which
was concluded upon at the castle of Montgomery,* wherein
it was agreed, that Prince Lhewelyn should give the king
thirtyf thousand marks, and the king was to grant the
prince a charter, from thenceforth to receive homage and
fealty of all the nobility and barons of Wales, excepting
one, so that they could hold their lands of no other but
himself, and from thenceforward he was to be lawfully stiled
Prince of Wales. This charter being ratified and confirmed,
as well by the authority of the pope, as by the king's seal,
Prince Lhewelyn desisted from any farther acts of hostility,
and punctually observed all the articles of agreement

between

* Welsh Chron. p. 327- *

t Matthew Paris, p. 875, says £32,000.— Welsh Chron. p. 327.

250 HISTORY OF WALES.

between him and King Henry, so that no outrage between
the English and Welsh occurred during the remainder of
this king's reign. Within that space, died Grono ap
Ednyfed Fychan, one of the chief lords of the prince's
council, and shortly after him Gruffydh Lord of Bromfield,
who lies buried at Valle Crucis.*

A. D. 1272. The death of King Henry, however, put an end to the
observation of the peace betwixt the English and Welsh, for
that event took place on the sixteenth of November this year,
and he left this kingdom to his son Edward. Prince Ed-
ward was then in the Holy Land, actively engaged against
those enemies of Christianity, the Turks, where he had
already continued above a year ; but being informed of his
father's death, and that in his absence he was proclaimed
King of England, he made all haste to return to undergo the
solemnity of coronation : but what by the tediousness of the
journey, and what by being honourably detained at princes'
courts in his way, it was two years before he could get into
England, and then upon the fifteenth of August, in the year
1274, he was crowned at Westminster. Prince Lhewelyn
was summoned to attend at his coronation, but he flatly
refused to appear,f unless upon sure terms of safe conduct ;
for, having offended several of the English nobility, he
could not in safety pass through their country without the
danger of exposing his person to the inveterate malice and
implacable revenge of some of them : and, therefore, unless
the king's brother, the Earl of Gloucester, and Robert
Burnell Lord Chief Justice of England,:}: were delivered up
as pledges for his safe conduct, he would not come to do his
homage and fealty at the coronation, according to the writ
directed to him. Indeed, seeing that King Edward had
broken the peace lately concluded upon before the Pope's
legate, and received and honourably entertained such noble-
men of Wales, as for their disloyalty were banished by
Prince Lhewelyn, and from whom he feared some treachery,
there was no reason that the prince should pay him any
subjection, as by this breach of the peace he was exempted

from

* Welsh Chron. p. 327.

•f- It appears that Lhewelyn was summoned by King Edward to repair to different
places-, and it is highly probable, during this time, that the following remarkable
circumstance took place. Edward being at Aust Ferry on the Severn, and knowing that
the Prince of Wales was on the opposite side, sent him an invitation to come over the
river, that they might confer together and settle some matters of dispute. This being
refused by Lhewelyn, King Edward threw himself into a boat, and crossed over to the
prince •, who, struck with the gallantry of the action, leaped into the water to receive him,
telling the king at the same time that his humility had conquered his own pride, and that
his wisdom had triumphed over his own folly.

J Rymer, p. 41. J. Rossi, Ant. Warw. p. 102.

HISTORY OF WALES.

from all homage. However, Prince Lhewelyn, to show that
it was not out of any stubbornness or disrespect, to the King
of England, that he refused to come, sent up his reasons by
the Abbots of Ystratflur and Conway to Robert Kilwarby
Archbishop of Canterbury, and the rest of the bishops then
sitting in convocation in the New Temple at London, which
were to this effect : —

" To the Most Reverend Fathers in God, Robert, Arch-
" bishop of Canterbury and Metropolitan of all Eng-
" land, the Archbishop of York, arid the rest of the
" Bishops in Convocation; Lhewelyn, Prince of Wales
" and Lord of Sncwdon, sendeth greeting:

" WE would have your Lordships to understand, that
" whereas formerly most terrible and incessant wars were
" continually managed betwixt Henry King of England and
" Ourself; the same were at last composed, and all matters
" of differences were adjusted by the means of his Excel-
" lency Cardinal Ottobonus, the Pope's legate, who having
" drawn the articles and conditions of the peace agreed
" upon, they were signed and swore to, not only by the
" king, but also the prince his son, now king of England.
" Among these articles were comprehended, that We and
<f Our successors should hold of the king and his successor,
" the principality of Wales, so that all the Welsh lords, one
" baron excepted, should hold their baronies and estates in
te capite of Us, and should pay their homage and fealty for
( ( the same to Us ; We in like manner doing homage to the
" king of England and his successors. And besides, that
" the king and his successors should never offer to receive
" and entertain any of Our enemies, nor any such of Our
(f own subjects as were lawfully banished and excluded Our
' f dominions of Wales, nor by any means defend and uphold
" such against Us. Contrary to which articles, King
" Edward has forcibly seized upon the estates of certain
" barons of Wales, which they and their ancestors have
f( been immemorably possessed of, and detains a barony
" which by the form of peace should have been delivered
" to us ; and moreover, has hitherto entertained David ap
tf Gruffydh Our brother, and Gruffydh ap Gwenwynwyn,
'( with several other of Our enemies who are outlaws and
" fugitives of Our country, and though We have often
" exhibited Our grievances and complaints against them,
" for destroying and pillaging Our country, yet We could
" never obtain of the king any relief or redress for the
<e several wrongs and injuries We received at their hands;

" but

252 HISTORY OF WALES.

C( but on the contrary they still persist to commit wastes
" and other outrages in Our dominions. And for all this,
" he summons Us to do him homage at a place which is
" altogether dangerous to Our person, where Our inveterate
" enemies, and which is worse, Our own unnatural subjects,
" bear the greatest sway and respect with the king. And
" though We have alleged several reasons to the king and
<f his council, why the place by him assigned is not safe
" and indifferent for Us to come, and desire him to appoint
" another, whereto we might with more safety resort, or
" else that he would send commissioners to receive Our
" oath and homage, till he could more opportunely receive
(f them in person ; yet he would not assent to Our just and
" reasonable request, nor be satisfied with the reasons We
(f exhibited for Our non-appearance. Therefore We desire
" your lordships earnestly to weigh the dismal effects that
" will happen to the subjects both of England and Wales
" upon the breach of the articles of peace, and that you
" would be pleased to inform the king of the sad conse-
" quence of another war, which can no way be prevented
" but by using Us according to the conditions of the former
<f peace, which, for Our part, We will in no measure trans-
" gress. But if the king will not hearken to your counsel,
f( We hope that you will hold Us excused, if the nation be
" disquieted and troubled thereupon, which as much as in
" Us lieth We endeavour to prevent."

King Edward would not admit of any excuse, nor hearken
to any manner of reason in the case, but was exceedingly
enraged, and conceived an unappeasable displeasure against
Prince Lhewelyn, which, however, he thought it convenient
to conceal and dissemble for a time. Indeed, he was pre-
judiced against Lhewelyn ever since he had been vanquished
and put to flight by him in the marches, so that the chief
cause of King Edward's anger originally proceeded from a
point of wounded honour, which this refusal of homage
served to increase. To prosecute his revenge, which upon
such a ground is commonly in princes very implacable, he in
a short time came to Chester, meaning to recover by force
what he could not obtain by fair means. From thence he
sent to the Prince of Wales, requiring him to come and do
him homage, which Lhewelyn either absolutely refusing or
willingly neglecting to do, King Edward made ready his
A. D. 1277. army to force him thereto : but an accident occurred, which
took off a great part of Lhewelyn's obstinacy ; for at this
time the Countess of Leicester, the widow of Simon Mont-
ford,

HISTORY OF WALES. 253

ford,* who lived at Montargis, a nunnery in France, sent
over to Wales her daughter, the Lady Eleanor, (whom
Lhewelyn extremely loved,) with her brother Aemerike,
the former to be married to the prince according to the
agreement made in the time of her father, Earl Montford :
Aemerike, however, fearing to touch upon the coast of
England, steered his course towards the islands of Scilly,
where by the way they were all taken by four Bristol ships,
and brought to King Edward, who received the lady very
honourably, but committed her brother prisoner to the
castle of Corff, whence he was afterwards removed to the
castle of Shirburne. The king having obtained this unex-
pected advantage over Lhewelyn, began boldly to fall upon
him, and so dividing his army into two battalions, led one
himself into North Wales, and advanced as far as Ruddlan,
where he strongly fortified the castle. The other he com-
mitted to Paganus de Camutiis, a great soldier, who, entering
into West Wales, burned and destroyed a great part of the
country. Then the people of South Wales, fearing that his
next expedition would be levelled against them, volunta-
rily submitted themselves to the king, and did him homage,
and then delivered up the castle of Ystraty wy to Paganus.

Prince Lhewelyn, hearing of this, and finding that his
own subjects forsook him, but more especially being de-
sirous to recover his spouse the Lady Eleanor, thought it
likewise advisable to submit, and therefore sued to King
Edward for a peace, who granted it, but upon very severe
conditions, as regarded Lhewelyn. The agreement con-
sisted of ten articles, which were, — I. That the prince
should set at liberty all prisoners that upon the king's
account were detained in custody. II. That for the king's
favour arid good-will, he should pay 50,000 marks, to be
received at the king's pleasure. III. That these four can-
treds or hundreds, viz. Cantref Ros, where the king's castle
of Diganwy stands, — Ryfonioc, where Denbigh, — Teg-
eingl, where Ruddlan, — Dyflfryn Clwyd, where Ruthyn,
stands, — should remain in the king's hands. IV. That
the Lords Marchers should quietly enjoy all the lands they
had conquered within Wales, excepting in the Isle of
Anglesey, which was wholly granted to the prince. V.
That in consideration of this island, the prince should pay
5000 marks in hand, with the reserve of 1000 marks
yearly, to begin at Michaelmas; and in case the prince died

without

* He married Eleanor, dowager of William Earl of Pembroke, and sisfer to Henry the
Third. This Simon de Montford built a castle at Broadway, near Churchstoke, called
Simon's Castle, now demolished. — Lleweljti's Manuscript.

254 HISTORY OF WALES.

without issue, the whole island should return to the king.
VI. That the prince should come every year to England to
pay his homage to the king for all his lands. VII. That
all the barons of Wales, excepting five in Snowdon, should
hold their lands and estates of the king, and no other.
VIII. That the title of Prince should remain only for his
life, and not descend to his successor's, and after his death,
the five lords of Snowdon should hold their lands only from
the king. IX. That for the performance of these articles,
the prince should deliver up for hostages ten persons of the
best quality in the country ^ without imprisoning, disinhe-
riting, and any time of redemption determined, X. And
farther, that the king should choose twenty persons in
North Wales, who, besides the prince, should take their
oaths for the due performance of these articles ; and in case
the prince should swerve and recede from them, and upon
admonition thereof not repent, they should forsake him, and
become his enemies. The prince was obliged to suffer
his brethren quietly to enjoy their lands in Wales, whereof
David for his service was dubbed knight by the king, and
had the Earl of Derby's widow given him in matrimony, and
with her as a portion the castle of Denbigh in North
Wales, besides 1000 pounds in lands. His other brother
Roderic had lately escaped out of prison into England, and
the younger, called Owen, was upon his composition deli*
vered out of prison.

King Edward having imposed these severe conditions
upon Prince Lhewelyn, and for a better security for the
performance of them, built a castle at Aberystwith, returned
very honourably into England ; upon whose arrival, the
people willingly granted him a subsidy of the twentieth
part of their estates towards his charges in this war: but it
seems very probable that Prince Lhewelyn submitted to
these intolerable conditions, more upon the account of his
amours, and to regain the Lady Eleanora out of the King of
England's hand, than that he was apprehensive of any
considerable danger he might receive by the English troops;
for it is hardly conceivable, that a prince of such well-known
conduct and valour, would so easily accept of such severe
terms, and as it were deliver up his principality, when there
was no necessity so to do, without resisting an enemy,
whom he had frequently overcome, and forced to retire
back with greater inequality than the English had at
present over him : but the force of love works wonders, and
in this case proved most irresistible, for to obtain his desire
Lhewelyn did not scruple to forfeit his just right to his

inveterate

HISTORY OF WALES. 255

inveterate enemies, and for ever to exclude his posterity
from succeeding in their lawful inheritance. The next year A-D- 1278-
therefore, he had his wish accomplished, and was married to
Eleanora at Worcester, the king and queen, with all the
nobility and persons of quality in England, honouring the
wedding with their presence.*

This specious amity, and the peace lately concluded
betwixt them, did not. however last long, for the English
governors in the marches and inland counties of Wales,
presuming upon the prince's submission to the king,
grievously oppressed the inhabitants of the country, with
new and unheard-of exactions, and with intolerable par-
tiality openly encouraged the English to defraud and
oppress the Welsh. These insupportable practices moved
the Welsh to go in a body to David Lord of Denbigh, to
endeavour to procure a reconciliation between him and his
brother the prince, that they both, being at unity, might
easily deliver themselves and their country from the un-
merciful tyranny of the English. David was not ignorant of
the miseries of his countrymen, and therefore gladly sub-
mitted to be reconciled to his brother, with promise never
to take part again with the King of England, but to become
his utter enemy. This happy union being thus effected,
David was chosen general of the army, with which he
presently marched to Hawarden, and surprising the castle
slew all that opposed him, and took Roger Clifford
prisoner, who had been sent by King Edward as Justiciary
into those parts.f From thence, being joined by the
prince, he passed to Rhuddlan, and laid siege to the
castle ; but upon notice given that the king was marching to
raise the siege, he deemed it convenient to withdraw, and to
retire. At the same time Rhys ap Maelgon and Gruffydh
ap Meredith ap Owen, with other lords of South Wales,
took from the English the castle of Aberystwith, with
divers others in that country, and plundered all the people
thereabouts, who owned subjection to the crown of Eng-
land. In the mean while John Peckham, Archbishop of
Canterbury, perceiving how matters were likely to proceed
between the king and the prince, and that the kingdom was
completely involved in a war, he of his own will came to
Prinee LhewelynJ to endeavour a re-submission from him

and

* On the 13th of October. — Holinshead, p 277.

f This occurrence took place on Palm Sunday. Henry de Knyghton de Event. Ang.
p. 2464, says, that they slew all the masons, carpenters, and other workmen employed in
the Justiciary fortresses.

J Rymer, vol. 2, p. 68. — About this time died ihe wife of Lhewelyn (Eleanor de
Montford) in child-bed.

256 HISTORY OF WALES.

and his brother David to King Edward, and so to put a
stop to any further hostilities.

In order to this, he sent before-hand, to the prince and
people of Wales, intimating to them, " That for the love he
" bore to the Welsh nation, he undertook this arbitration,
" without the knowledge, and contrary to the king's liking ;
" and therefore earnestly desired, that they would submit to
" a peace with the English, which himself would endeavour
" to bring to pass. And because he could make no long
" continuance in those parts, he wished them to consider how
(( that if he should be forced to depart before any thing
" was brought to a conclusion, they could hardly find ano-
" ther who would so heartily espouse their cause ; and
" farther threatened, that in case they contemned and
ef derided his endeavours, he would not only instigate the
" English army, now greatly strengthened and increased, to
fe fall upon them, but also signify their stubbornness to the
" court and bishop of Rome, who esteemed and honoured
" England beyond any other kingdom in the world. More-
" over, he much lamented to hear of the excessive cruelty
" of the Welsh, even beyond that of the Saracens and other
" infidels, who never refused to permit slaves and captives
" to be ransomed; which the Welsh were so far from
" practising, that even some time they slew those for whose
<f redemption they received money. And whereas they
" were wont to esteem and reverence holy and ecclesiastical
" persons, they are now so far degenerated from devotion
" and sanctity, that nothing is more acceptable to them than
<f war and sedition, which they had now great need to for-
" sake and repent of. Lastly, he proposed that they would
" signify to him, wherein and what laws and constitutions
(( of theirs were violated by the English, and by what means
" a firm and a lasting peace might be established ; which, if
ff they rejected, they must expect to incur the decree and
" censure of the church, as well as endure the violent in-
f ' roads and depredations of a powerful army."

To these, partly admonitions, and partly threatenings of
the archbishop, Prince Lhewelyn returned an answer:
" That he humbly thanked his Grace for the pains and
(f trouble he undertook in his and his subjects' behalf; and
" more particularly, because he would venture to come to
" Wales, contrary to the pleasure and good liking of the
" king. And as for concluding a peace with him, he would
" not have his Grace be ignorant, that with all readiness he
" was willing to submit to it, upon condition that the king
" would duly and sincerely observe the same. And though

HISTORY OF WALES.

c< he would be glad of his longer continuance in Wales, yet
" he hoped that no obstructions would happen of his side,
" why a peace (which of all things he most desired) might
" not be forthwith concluded, and rather by his Grace's
(t procuring than any other's ; so that there would be no
" farther need of acquainting the Pope with his obstinacy,
" nor moving the king of England to use any force against
' ' him. And though the kingdom of England be under the
" immediate protection of the see of Rome, yet when his
(( Holiness comes to understand the great and unsufferable
" wrongs done to him by the English ; how the articles of
" peace were broken, churches and all other religious houses
fl in Wales were burned down and destroyed, and religious
< ' persons unchristianly murdered, he hoped he would rather
" pity and lament his condition, than with addition of
" punishment increase and augment his sorrow. Neither
" shall the kingdom of England be anywise disquieted and
" molested by his means, in case the peace be religiously
" observed towards him and his subjects. But who they
te are that delight themselves with war and bloodshed,,
" manifestly appears by their actions and behaviour ; the
" Welsh being glad to live quietly upon their own, if they
te might be permitted by the English, who coming to the
" country, utterly destroy whatever comes in their way,
" without regard either to sex, age, or religious places.
ft But he was extremely sorry that any one should be slain,
" having paid his ransom ; the author of which unworthy
(f action he did not pretend to maintain, .but would inflict
(( upon him his condign punishment, in case he could be
" got out of the woods and deserts, where as an outlaw he
ef lives undiscovered. But as to commencing a war in a
' ' season inconvenient, he protested he knew nothing of that
" till now : yet those that did so, do solemnly attest that to
" be the only measure they had to save themselves, and that
" they had no other security for their lives and fortunes,
" than to keep themselves in arms. Concerning his sins
" and trespasses against God, with the assistance of his
" Grace, he would endeavour to repent of; neither should
" the war be willingly continued by him, in case he might
" save himself harmless ; but before he would be unjustly
" dispossessed of his legal property, he thought it but
" reasonable, by all possible measures, to defend himself.
" And he was very willing, upon due examination of the
" trespasses committed, to make satisfaction and retribution
' e of all wrongs committed by him and his subjects ; so that

" the

258 HISTORY OF WALES.

' ' the English would observe the same on their side ; and
" likewise was ready to conclude a peace, which he thought
" was impossible to be established, as long as the English
" had no regard to articles, and still oppressed his people
" with new and unwarrantable exactions. Therefore seeing
" his subjects were unchristianly abused by the king's
" officers, and all his country most tyrannically harassed,
" he saw no reason why the English, upon any fault of his
ee side, should threaten to bring a formidable army to his
' e country, nor the church pretend to censure him : seeing
fe also, he was very willing, upon the aforesaid conditions,
" to submit to a peace. And lastly, he desired his Grace,
" that he would not give the more credit to his enemies,
" because they were near his person, and could deliver
" their complaints frequently, and by word of mouth; for
" they who made no conscience of oppressing, would not in
" all probability stick to defame, and make false accusa-
"tions; and, therefore, his Grace would make a better
te estimation of the whole matter, by examining their ac-
" tions rather than believing their words."

Prince Lhewelyn having to this purpose replied in general
to the archbishop's articles, presented him with a formal
detail of the several grievances which himself and others of
his subjects had wrongfully and unjustly received at the
hands of the English : and the archbishop having read over
the statement of these grievances, and finding the Welsh to
be upon good reason guiltless of that severe character,
which by the malicious insinuations of the English he had
conceived of them, went to King Edward, requesting him
to take into consideration the wrongs and injuries done to
the Welsh ; which if he would not redress, at least he might
excuse them from any breach of obedience to him, seeing
they had such just reasons for what they did. The king
replied, that he willingly forgave them, and would make
reasonable satisfaction for any wrong done; and that they
should have free access to declare their grievances before
him ; and then might safely depart, in case it would appear
just and lawful they should. The archbishop upon this
thought he had obtained his purpose ; and therefore, with-
out any stay, hastened to Snowdon, where the prince and
his brother David resided, and having stated to them what
the king had said, earnestly desired that they and the rest
of the nobility of Wales would submit themselves, and by
him be introduced to the king's presence. Prince Lhewelyn,
after some time spent in conference and debate, declared
that he was ready to submit to the king, with the reserve

only

HISTORY OF WALES. 259

only of two particulars; namely, his conscience, whereby he
was obliged to regard the safety and liberties of his people;
and then the decency of his own state and quality. The
king, however, understanding by the archbishop that the
prince stood upon terms, positively refused to consent to
any more treaties of peace, than that he should simply
submit without any farther conditions. The archbishop
had experience enough, that the Welsh would never agree
to such proposals ; arid therefore desired his Majesty to give
him leave, with the rest of the English nobility present, to
confer and conclude upon the matter; which being granted,
they unanimously resolved on the following articles, and
sent them to the prince by John Wallensis, Bishop of
St. David's: — *

" I. The king will have no treaty of the four cantreds,
" and other lands which he has bestowed upon his nobles ;
" nor of the isle of Anglesey.

(( II. In case the tenants of the four cantreds submit
" themselves, the king purposeth to deal kindly and honour-
" ably with them ; which we are sufficiently satisfied of, and
" will, what in us lies, endeavour to further.

" III. We will do the like touching Prince Lhewelyn,
" concerning whom we can return no other answer, than that
" he must barely submit himself to the king, without hopes
' ' of any other conditions."

These were the publick articles agreed upon by the
English nobility, and sent to Prince Lhewelyn; besides
which they sent some private measures of agreement, relat-
ing both to him and his brother David ; promising, that in
case he would submit, and put the king in quiet possession
of Snowdon, his Majesty would bestow an English county
upon him, with the yearly revenue of a thousand pounds
sterling. And moreover, his daughter should be provided
for suitable to her birth and quality, and all his subjects
according to their estate and condition ; and in case he
should have male issue by a second wife, the aforesaid
county and one thousand pounds should remain to his
posterity for ever. As for David, the prince's brother, if
he would consent to go to the Holy Land, upon condition
not to return but upon the king's pleasure, all things should
be honourably prepared for his journey with respect to his
quality ; and his child maintained and provided for by the
king. To these the archbishop added his threats, that in
case they did not comply, and submit themselves to the
king's mercy, there were very severe and imminent dangers

s 2

hanging

260 HISTORY OF WALES.

hanging over their heads ; a formidable army was ready to
make an inroad into their country, which would not only
harass and oppress them, but in all probability totally
eradicate the whole nation: besides which, they were to
expect the most severe censure and punishment by the
church.

All this could not force so unlimited a submission from
the prince, but that he would stand upon some certain con-
ditions ; and therefore by letter he acquainted the arch-
bishop, ' that he was with all willingness desirous to submit
himself to the king; but withal, that he could not do it but
in such a manner as was safe and honest for him. And
because the form of submission contained in the articles sent
to him, were by himself and his council thought pernicious
and illegal for him to consent to, as tending rather to the
destruction than the security of himself and his subjects, he
could in no wise agree to it; and in case he should be
willing, the rest of his nobility and people would never
admit of it, as knowing for certain the mischief and incon-
veniency that would ensue thereby. Therefore he desired
his lordship, that for a confirmation of an honest and a
durable peace, which he had all this while earnestly la-
boured for, he would manage matters circumspectly, and
with due regard to the following articles : for it was much
more honourable for the king, and far more consonant to
reason, that he should hold his lands in the country where
he was born and dwelt in, than that, by dispossessing of him,
his estate should be bestowed upon strangers.' With this
was sent the general answer of the Welsh to the archbishop's
articles, viz. —

" I. Though the king would not consent to treat of the
c ' four cantreds, nor of the isle of Anglesey ; yet unless
" these be comprehended in the treaty, the prince's council
" will not conclude a peace ; by reason that these cantreds
<( have, ever since the time of Camber the son of Brutus,
" properly and legally belonged to the Princes of Wales ;
' ' besides the confirmation which the present prince obtained
" by the consent of the king and his father, at the treaty
" before Cardinal Ottobonus, the Pope's legate, whose
fe letters patent do still appear. And more, the justice of
" the thing itself is plainly evident, that it is more reason-
" able for our heirs to hold the said cantreds for money, and
" other services due to the king, than that strangers enjoy
" the same, who will forcibly abuse and oppress the people.
" II. All the tenants of the cantreds of Wales do unani-
" mously declare that they dare not submit themselves to

"the

HISTORY OF WALES. 261

" the king's pleasure ; by reason that he never from the
(( beginning took care to observe either covenant, oath, or
" any other grant to the prince and his people ; and because
" his subjects have no regard to religion, but most cruelly
" and unchristianly tyrannize over churches and religious
' ' persons ; and then, for that we do not understand our-
' ' selves any way obliged thereunto, seeing we be the prince's
" tenants, who is willing to pay the king all usual and
f( accustomed services.

tf III. As to what is required, that the prince should
" simply commit himself to the king's will, we all declare,
" that, for the aforesaid reasons, none of us dare come,
" neither will we permit our prince to come to him upon
" those conditions.

" IV. That some of the English nobility will endeavour
" to procure a provision of a thousand pounds a-year in
" England ; we would let them know, that we can accept
" of no such pension ; because it is procured for no other
" end that the prince being disinherited, themselves may
" obtain his lands in Wales.

" V. The prince cannot in honesty resign his paternal
" inheritance, which has for many ages been enjoyed by his
" predecessors, and accept of other lands among the Eng-
' ' lish, of whose customs and language he is ignorant ; and
" upon that score, may at length be fraudulently deprived
" of all by his malicious and inveterate enemies.

" VI. Seeing the king intends to deprive him of his
" antient inheritance in Wales, where the land is more
(e barren and untilled, it is not very probable that he will
" bestow upon him a more fruitful and an arable estate in
" England.

" VII. As to the clause that the prince should give the
" king a perpetual possession of Snowdon, we only affirm,
" that seeing Snowdon essentially belongs to the principality
" of Wales, which the prince and his predecessors have
" enjoyed since Brute, the prince's council will not permit
" him to renounce it, and accept another estate in England,
" to which he has not equal right.

' ' VIII. The people of Snowdon declare, that though the
" prince should give the king possession of it, they would
" never own and pay submission to strangers ; for in so
" doing they would bring upon themselves the same misery
" that the people of the four cantreds have for a long time
" groaned under: being most rudely handled and unjustly
" oppressed by the king's officers, as woefully appears by
" their several grievances.

"IX.

262 HISTORY OF WALES.

" IX. As for David, the prince's brother, we see no
(f reason why against his will he should be compelled to
" take a journey to the Holy Land ; which if he happens to
" undertake hereafter upon the account of religion, it is no
" cause that his issue should be disinherited, but rather
" encouraged.

" Now seeing neither the prince nor any of his subjects
(< upon any account whatsoever have moved and begun this
" war, but only defended themselves, their properties, laws,
" and liberties from the encroachments of other persons ;
*' and since the English, for either malice or covetousness
" to obtain our estates, have unjustly occasioned all these
" troubles and broils in the kingdom, we are assured that
" our defence is just and lawful, and therein depend upon
<( the aid and assistance of heaven ; which will be most
" cruelly revenged upon our sacrilegious and inhuman
•f enemies, who have left no manner of enormities, in re-
" lation to God and man, uncommitted. Therefore your
ff Grace would more justly threaten your ecclesiastical
" censures against the authors and abettors of such un-
-( paralleled villainies, than the innocent sufferers. And
" besides, we much admire that you should advise us to
f ( part with our own estates, and to live among our enemies ;
*' as if, when we cannot peaceably enjoy what is our own
" unquestionable right, we might expect to have quiet
(( possession of another man's : and though, as you say, it
^ be hard to live in war and perpetual danger ; yet much
" harder it is, to be utterly destroyed and reduced to no-
" thing ; especially when we seek but the defence of our
" own liberties from the insatiable ambition of our enemies.
f ' And seeing your Grace has promised to fulminate sentence
<{ against all them that either for malice or profit would
" hinder and obstruct the peace ; it is evident who in this
'* respect are transgressors and delinquents ; the fear and
" apprehension of imprisonment and ejection out of our
" estates, the sense of oppression and tyrannical govern-
<f ment, having compelled us to take up arms for the security
" of our lives and fortunes. Therefore, as the English are
" not dispossessed of their estates for their offences against
" the king, so we are willing to be punished, or make other
< ' satisfaction for our crimes, without being disinherited ;
< ' and as to the breach of the peace, it is notorious that they
" were the authors, who never regarded either promise or
" covenant, never made amends for trespasses, nor remedy
" for our complaints."

When the archbishop saw there was no likelihood of a

mediation,

HISTORY OF WALES. 263

mediation, and that it was impossible to conclude a peace
as long as the Welsh stood upon conditions, he relinquished
his pretended affection towards them, and denounced a
sentence of excommunication against the prince and all his
adherents. It was a subject of no small wonder, that a
person of such reputed sanctity, who esteemed the several
grievances done to the Welsh to be intolerable, should now
condemn them for refusing an unlimited submission to the
King of England ; whereas he had already owned it to be
unreasonable : but this ecclesiastical censure was only a
prologue to a more melancholy scene; for King Edward,
immediately upon its being issued, sent an army by sea to
Anglesey, which, without any great opposition, conquered
the island, and without any mercy put all that withstood
him to the sword. From thence designing to pass over to
the continent, he caused a bridge of boats covered with
planks to be built over the Menai (being an arm of the sea
which parteth the isle from the main land) at a place called
Moel y don,* not far from Bangor, where the water is
narrowest. The bridge being finished, which was so broad
as that threescore men might pass it a-breast,f William
Latimer, with a strong party of the best experienced
soldiers, and Sir Lucas de Tancy, commander of the
Gascoigns and Spaniards, whereof a great number served
the king, passed over, but could discover no sign, nor the
least intimation of an enemy : but as soon as the tide began
to appear, and the sea had overflown each side of the
bridge, the Welsh came down fiercely out of the mountains,
and attacking the disheartened English, killed or drowned
their whole number, excepting Latimer, who by the swim-
ming of his horse got safely to the bridge. In this action,
several worthy soldiers of the English side were lost ;
among whom were Sir Lucas de Tancy, Robert Clifford,
Sir Walter Lyndsey, two brothers of Robert Burnel, Bishop
of Bath, with many others ; in all to the number of thirteen
knights, seventeen young gentlemen, and two hundred
common soldiers.^ A little after, or as some say before,
another engagement passed between the English and the
Welsh, wherein the former lost fourteen colours, the Lords
Audley and Clifford the younger being slain, and the king
himself forced to retreat for safety to the castle of Hope.

While

* From the shore opposite this place, it is supposed, the German forces under
Agricola passed over into Mona.

f Welsh Chron. p. 372. Holinshead, p. 281. Annales Waverleiensis, p. 235.
Polidore Vergil, p. 324. Hen. de Knyghton de Event. Ang. p. 2464.

J The Lord Latimer, who commanded the English in this detachment, bad the good
fortune to recover the bridge by the stoutness of his horse. Holinshead, p. 281, says,
that only 200 foot soldiers perished. Mattk. Westminster, 176.

264 HISTORY OF WALES.

"While these things passed in North Wales, the Earl of
Gloucester and Sir Edmund Mortimer acted vigorously
with their forces in South Wales ; and lighting the Welsh
at Lhandeilo Fawr, overthrew them with the loss of no
considerable person, saving William de Valence the king's
cousin-german, and four knights besides. Prince Lhewelyn
was all this while in Cardigan, wasting and destroying all
the country, and principally the lands of Rhys ap Mere-
dith, who very unnaturally rield with the King of England
in all these wars. Being at length tired with exertion, he
with a few men privately separated himself from his army,
and came to Buelht, thinking to recreate and refresh him-
self there undiscovered: but coming to the river Wye, he
met with Edmund Mortimer and John Giftbrd, with a
considerable party of the people of that country of which
Mortimer was the lord. Neither party ventured to assail
the other; and Prince Lhewelyn with one servant only
retired to a private grove in a neighbouring valley, there to
.consult with certain lords of the country, who had appointed
to meet him. In the mean time Mortimer descended from
the hill, with intention to fall upon Lhewelyn's men ; which
they perceiving, betook themselves to the bridge called
Pont Orewyn,* and manfully defended the passage he was
to cross. Mortimer could effect nothing against them, till
he had gained the bridge, the river being impassable; and
to force them to quit if, seemed altogether impracticable :
but ai; last, the river was discovered to be fordable a little
below, and so Helias Walwynf was detached with a party
through the river, who unexpectedly attacking the rear of
the defendants, he easily forced them to leave the bridge,
and save themselves by flight. Prince Lhewelyn during
this time in vaip expected the lords of Buelht, and in the
end continued to wait so long, that Mortimer having passed
over the bridge, surrounded the wood in which he was with
armed men. The prince, perceiving himself to be betrayed,
thought to make his escape to his men ; but the English so
closely pursued him, that before he could come in, one
Adam Francton, not knowing who lie was, run him through
with his sword, being unarmed^ The Welsh still ex-
pected the arrival of their prince, and though but a few in
number, so gallantly maintained their ground, that in spite
of the far greater number of the English, they were not
Without much exertion put to flight. The battle being over,

Francton

* Holin$head, p. 281. f Ibid. Welsh Chron. 373.

$ Henry de Knyghton, p. 2464. Humffrey Lhuyd's Brev. p. 60» Welsh Chron. p. 374.
Holinshead, p. 281.

HISTORY OF WALES. 265

Francton returned to plunder his dead;* but perceiving him
to be the Prince of Wales, he thought that he had obtained
a sufficient prize, and thereupon immediately cut off his
head, and sent it to King Edward at Conway, who very
joyfully caused it to be placed upon the highest pinnacle of'
the Tower of London. Thus fell this worthy prince, the
greatest, though the last of the British blood, betrayed most
basely by the lords of Buelht, and being dead, most un-
worthily dealt with by the King of England; who, contrary
to all precedents, treated a lawful prince like a traitor, and
exposed his crowned head to the derision of the multitude.

THE PRINCES OF WALES OF ENGLISH
BLOOD.

J_ RINCE Lhewelyn and his brother David being so
basely taken off, and leaving no one to lay any fair claim to
the principality of Wales; King Edward, by a statute made Anno 12
at Rhuddlan, incorporated and annexed it to the crown of Edw> lm
England, constituting several new and wholesome laws, as
concerning the division of Wales into several counties, the
form and manner of writs and proceeding in trials, with
many others not very unlike the laws and constitutions of the
English nation. f All this, however, did not win the affec-
tion of the Welsh towards him, for they would not by any
means own him as their sovereign, unless he would consent
to live and reign among them. They had not forgot the
cruel oppressions and intolerable insolencies of the English
officers; and, therefore, they positively told him, they
would never yield obedience to any other than a prince of
their own nation, of their own language, and whose life and
conversation was spotless and unblameable. King Edward,
perceiving the Welsh to be resolute and inflexible, and

absolutely

* This action happened on the 10th of December, 1282. Tradition says, that Lhewelyn
caused his horse's shoes to be reversed in order to deceive his pursuers, as the snow was
on the ground; but the circumstance was made known by the treachery of the smith.
Thus died Lhewelyn ap Gruffydh, after a reign of 36 years, leaving only one daughter,
who, with the daughter of his brother David, were confined in a nunnery in England, as
an order was sent by Edward, seven years after the death of their parents, to Thomas de
Normanville, to enquire minutely into the state and safe custody of the said princess.
This daughter of Lhewelyn and of Eleanor de Montford, called Catherine Lackland, was
sent by Edward, attended by her nurse, to be educated in England. She was afterwards
married to Malcolm, Earl of Fife. Lhewelyn is also said to have had a son of the name
of Madoc; but he certainly must have been illegitimate, as that prince had been only
once married. — Mills's Catalogue of Honour, p. 310. It is most probable that David's
daughter remained in England, and died a nun.

t Brady, vol. ii. p. 11. Matth, Wcstm. 177.

266 HISTORY OF WALES.

absolutely bent against any other prince, than one of their
own country, happily thought of this politic, though
dangerous expedient. Queen Eleanor was now great with
child, and near the time of her delivery ; and though the
season was very severe, it being the depth of winter, the
king sent for her from England, and removed her to Caer-
narvon castle, the place designed for her lying-in. When
the time of her delivery was come, King Edward summoned
all the barons and chief persons throughout all Wales to
attend him at Rhuddlan, there to consult about the public
good and safety of their country, and being informed that
his queen was delivered of a son, he told the Welsh nobility,
that whereas they had oftentimes intreated him to appoint
them a prince, and he had at this time occasion to depart
out of the country, he, according to their request, and to
the conditions they had proposed, would name a prince for
their obedience. The Welsh readily agreed to the motion,
only with the same reserve, that he should appoint them a
prince of their own nation. King Edward assured them, he
would name such an one as was born in Wales, could speak
no English, and whose life and conversation no body could
stain; and the Welsh agreeing to own and obey such a
prince, he named his own son Edward, just then before
born in Caernarvon castle.

King Edward having by these means deluded the Welsh,
and reduced the whole country of Wales to obedience,
began to reward his followers with other men's properties,
and bestowed whole lordships and towns in the midst of the
country upon English lords, among whom Henry Lacy
Earl of Lincoln obtained the lordship of Denbigh; and
Reginald Grey, second son to John Lord Grey of Wilton,
the lordship of Ruthyn. This Henry Lacy was son to
Edmund Lacy, the son of John Lacy, Lord of Halton
Pomfret, and constable of Chester, who married Margaret
the eldest daughter, and one of the heirs of Robert Quincy
Earl of Lincoln. This Henry Lacy Lord of Denbigh
married the daughter and sole heir of William Longspear
Earl of Salisbury, by whom he had issue two sons, Edmund
and John, who both died young, one by a fall into a very
deep well within the castle of Denbigh ; and a daughter
named Alicia, who was married to Thomas Plantagenet
Earl of Lancaster, who in right of his wife was Earl of
Lincoln and Sarum, Lord of Denbigh, Halton Pomfret, and
constable of Chester. After his death, King Edward II.
bestowed the said lordship of Denbigh upon Hugh Lord
Spencer Earl of Winchester, upon whose decease, King

Edward

HISTORY OF WALES. 267

Edward III. gave it, together with many other lordships in
the marches, to Roger Mortimer Earl of March, in per-
formance of a promise he had made, whilst he remained
with his mother in France, that as soon as he should come
to the possession of the crown of England, he would bestow
upon the said Earl of March to the value of £1000 yearly
in lands. But within a few years after, Mortimer being
attainted of high treason, King Edward bestowed the said
lordship of Denbigh upon Montague Earl of Salisbury ; but
it was quickly restored again to the Mortimers, in which
house it continued till the whole estate of the Earls of
March came with a daughter to the house of York, and so
to the crown, Richard Duke of York, grandfather to
Edward the Fourth, having married the sole daughter and
heir of the house of Mortimer. Hence it continued in the
crown to Queen Elizabeth's time, who, in the sixth year of
her reign, bestowed the said lordship upon her great
favourite Robert Earl of Leicester, who was then created
Baron of Denbigh. After him it returned again to the
crown, where it continued to the year 1696, when King
William the Third granted a patent under the Great Seal to
William Earl of Portland, for the lordships of Denbigh,
Bromfield, and Yale. Some of the Welsh representatives,
perceiving how far such a grant encroached upon the
properties and privileges of the subject, disclosed their
grievances to the honourable House of Commons, who,
after some consideration, resolved fnemine contradicente)
that a petition should be presented to his Majesty by the
body of the whole House, to request him to recall his grant
to the said Earl of Portland, which was accordingly done in
the manner following :

' ' May it please Your Most Excellent Majesty,

" We, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects,
" the knights, citizens, and burgesses in parliament assem-
" bled; humbly lay before Your Majesty, That whereas
" there is a grant passing to William Earl of Portland, and
" his heirs, of the Manors of Denbigh, Bromfield, and
" Yale, and divers other lands in the principality of Wales ;
" together with several estates of inheritance, enjoyed by
" many of Your Majesty's subjects by virtue of ancient
" grants from the crown :

" That the said manors, with the large and extensive
" royalties, powers, and jurisdictions to the same belonging,
se are of great concern to Your Majesty and the crown of
" this realm : and that the same have been usually annexed
" to the principality of Wales, and settled on the Princes

of

268 HISTORY OF WALES.

" of Wales for their support: and that a great number of
" Your Majesty's subjects, in those parts, hold their estates
" by royal tenure, under great and valuable compositions,
" rents, royal payments, and services to the crown and
" princes of Wales ; and have by such tenure great depend-
" ance on Your Majesty and the crown of England; and
t( have enjoyed great privileges and advantages with their
" estates under such tenure :

" We therefore most humbly beseech Your Majesty, to
" put a stop to the passing this grant to the Earl of Port-
" land, of the said manors and lands, and that the same
<{ may not be disposed from the crown but by consent of
" parliament; for that such grant is in diminution of the
" honour and interest of the crown, by placing in a subject
" such large and extensive royalties, powers, and jurisdic-
" tions, which ought only to be in the crown ; and will
" sever that dependance which so great a number of Your
" Majesty's subjects in those parts have on Your Majesty
<( and the crown by reason of their tenure, and may be to
" their great oppression in those rights which they have
<( purchased and hitherto enjoyed with their estates ; and
f( also an occasion of great vexation to many of Your
" Majesty's subjects, who have long had the absolute
" inheritance of several lands (comprehended in the said
' ' grant to the Earl of Portland) by ancient grants from the
<( crown."

His Majesty's Answer.
(( Gentlemen,

" I have a kindness for my Lord Portland, which he has
" deserved of Me, by long and faithful services ; but I
" should not have given him these lands, if 1 had imagined
<( the House of Commons could have been concerned ;
" I will therefore recall the grant, and find some other way
" of shewing My favour to him."

The lordship of Ruthyn continued in the possession of
the Greys till the reign of Henry VII. when George Grey,
Earl of Kent and Lord of Ruthyn, upon some bargain,
passed the same over to the king ; after which it was in the
possession of some of the Earls of Warwick, and subse-
quently came to the family of Myddelton of Chirk Castle,
in the county of Denbigh, in which family it still continues ;
being now enjoyed by Miss Myddelton, one of the sisters
and co-heirs of the late Richard Myddelton, Esq.

Besides Henry Lacy and Reginald Grey, several other
gentlemen of quality came at this time with King Edward to
North Wales, who subsequently became men of great pos-
sessions

HISTORY OF WALES. 269

sessions and sway in the country, and whose posterity enjoy
the same to this time : but he that expected to have the
largest share in the distribution of these lordships and
estates in Wales, was one Rhys ap Meredith, a Welshman,
and one that, contrary to the allegiance sworn to his prince
and his duty to his native country, had served the king of
England in all these wars, and done the greatest hurt of any
man to the interest of Prince Lhewelyn. For these great
services done to King Edward, Rhys expected no less than
to be promoted to the highest preferments ; and the king,
after the Prince of Wales's overthrow, dubbed him knight,
but subsequently gave him little else, except fair words and
great promises.

When Rhys, and all his neighbours and countrymen, had
thus submitted themselves to the government of the king of
England, it happened that the Lord Pain Tiptoft, warden
of the king's castles which joined to Rhys's country, and the
Lord Alan Plucknet, the king's steward in Wales, cited Sir
Rhys ap Meredith,* with all the rest of the country, to the
king's court ; which, however, he refused to attend, alleging
his ancient privileges and liberties, together with the king's
promises to him. The aforesaid officers, therefore, pro- A. D. 1290.
ceeded against him according to law : whereupon Sir Rhys,
being much annoyed to be thus served by those whose
interest he had so warmly espoused, thought to be revenged
of Pain Tiptoft, and the rest of the English. To that end,
having drawn together some of his tenants and countrymen,
he fell upon the said Pain Tiptoft; with whom several
.skirmishes afterwards happened, and several men were slain
on both sides. King Edward was now gone to Arragon, to
compose the differences between the kings of Arragon and
Naples ; but being informed of the disturbances which had
happened in Wales between his ministers there and Sir
Rhys ap Meredith, he wrote to the latter, requiring him to
keep the peace till his return ; at which time he would re-
dress all grievances, and reduce matters to proper order.
Sir Rhys, having already waited sufficiently upon the king's
promises, and being now in a good condition to offend his
enemies by force of arms, would not give over the enterprize
he saw so promising, but, marching with his forces to his
enemies' lands, burnt and destroyed several towns belonging
to the English. Upon this, the king sent to the Earl of
Cornwall, whom he had appointed his deputy during his
absence, to march with an army into Wales, to repress the

insolencies,

p. 283

Welsh Chron. p. 379. Henry de KriygMon de Event. Ang. p. 2465. Holinshead,
3,

270 HISTORY OF WALES.

insolencies, and to prevent any farther disorderly attempts of
the Welsh. The Earl accordingly prepared an army, and
went against Sir Rhys, whose army he quickly dispersed,
and overthrew his castle of Drefolan, but not without the
loss of some of his chief men : for as they besieged and
undermined the said castle, the walls unexpectedly fell
down, by which unluckly accident several of the English
were bruised to death, among whom were the Lord Strafford,
and the Lord William de Monchency. Within a while
after, Robert Tiptoft, Lord Deputy of Wales, raised a very
powerful army against Sir Rhys, and after a slaughter of
4000 of the Welsh, took him prisoner, and the Michaelmas
following, at the king's going to Scotland, Sir Rhys was
condemned and executed at York.*

A.D. 1293. The death of Sir Rhys did not put a final period to all
the quarrels between the English and Welsh, for in a short
time after there happened a new occasion of murmuring on
the part of the Welsh, and fof their upbraiding the govern-
ment of the English over them. King Edward was now in
actual war with the kins: of France ; and to carry on this
warfare, he required a liberal subsidy and supply from his
subjects. This tax was with much resistance paid in divers
places of the kingdom, but more especially in Wales, the
Welsh being previously unused to such large contributions,
1294 violently resisted and exclaimed against it : but not being
satisfied with maligning the king's command, they took their
own captain, Roger de Puleston, who was appointed col-
lector of the said subsidy, and hanged him up, together with
divers others who abetted the collecting of the tax. Then
the men of West Walesf chose Maelgon Fychan for their
captain, and entering into Caermardhyn and Pembroke
shires, they cruelly harassed all the lands that belonged to
the English, and returned laden with considerable booty.
The men of Glamorganshire and the inhabitants of the
southern parts, chose one Morgan for their leader, and
attacked the Earl of Gloucester, whom they forced to make
his escape out of the country ; and Morgan was put in
possession of those lands which the ancestors of the Earl
of Gloucester had forcibly taken away from Morgan's fore-
fathers. On the one side, the men of North Wales set up
one MadocJ related to the last Lhewelyn slain at Buelht,
who having drawn together a great number of men, came to

Caernarvon

* Agreeable to the new mode of punishment, by being drawn at tbe tail of a horse,
and afterwards hanged and quartered.— Folklore Vergil, p. 236. Matth. Westm. p.
184» says, he was executed at Berwick.

•f- Pembrokeshire.
J He was an illegitimate SOD.— Milk's Catalogue of Honour, p. 310.

HISTORY OF WALES. 271

Caernarvon* and attacked the English, who in great
multitudes had then resorted thither to a fair, slew a great
many, and afterwards spoiled and ransacked the whole
town. King Edward, being informed of these different
, insurrections and rebellions in Wales, and desirous to quell
the pride and stubbornness of the Welsh, but most, of all to
revenge the death of his great favourite Roger de Puleston,
recalled his brother Edmund Earl of Lancaster, and Henry
Lacy Earl of Lincoln and Lord of Denbigh, who with a
considerable army were ready to embark for Gascoign, and
countermanded them into Wales. Being arrived there, they
passed quietly forward, till they came to Denbigh, and as
soon as they drew near unto the castle, upon St. Martin's
day, the Welsh with great fury and courage confronted
them, and joining battle, forced them back with a very
considerable loss. Polidore Vergil says, (but upon what
authority we are not informed,) that the Welsh obtained this
victory rather upon the account that the English army was
hired with such money as had been wrongfully taken out of
the abbies and other religious places, so that it was a
judgment from above, more than the force of the Welsh,
that overcame the English army. Be the cause what it
will, it is certain the English were vanquished, upon which
account King Edward came in person to Wales, and kept
his Christmas at Aberconway, where Robert Winchelsey
Archbishop of Canterbury, being returned from Rome,
came to him, and having done homage, returned honourably
again to England. As the king advanced farther into the
country, having but one part of his army with him, the
Welsh attacked and took most of his carriages, which
contained a great quantity of victuals and provision, so that
the king with all his followers were constrained to endure
many hardships, insomuch that at last water mixed with
honey, and very coarse and ordinary bread, with the saltest
meat, were accounted the greatest delicacies for his Majes-
ty's own table. Their misery would have been much
greater, had not the other part of the army come in time,
because the Welsh forces had surrounded the king and part
of his army, in the hope of reducing him to the utmost
distress, because the water was so much risen, that the rest
of his army could not get to him : but the water within a
short time abating, the remainder of the army came in,
whereupon the Welsh retired, and made their escape.
One thing is very remarkable of King Edward during his
distress at Snowdon, that when the army was reduced to

very

* Matthew Paris, p. 190. Welsh Chron. p. 380.

272 HISTORY OF WALES.

very great extremity, a small quantity of wine was found,
which they purposed to reserve for the king's own use : but
he, to prevent any discontent, which might thereupon be
raised among his soldiers, absolutely refused to taste
thereof, telling them, ' That in time of necessity all things
should be common, and as he was the cause and author
of their distress, he would not be preferred before them in
his diet.'

Whilst the king remained in Snowdon, the Earl of War-
wick being informed that a great number of Welsh were
assembled, and had lodged themselves in a certain valley
betwixt two wroods, chose out a troop of horse, together
with some cross-bowmen and archers, and attacked them in
the night-time. The Welsh being thus surprised and
unexpectedly encompassed by their enemies, made the
utmost haste to oppose them, and pitching their spears in
the ground, and directing their points towards their
enemies, endeavoured by such means to keep off the horse.
But the Earl of Warwick having so disposed his forces, that
between every two horses there stood a cross-bow, so
annoyed the Welsh with their discharges, that the spear-
men fell apace, and then the horse breaking easily in upon
the rest, bore them down with a degree of slaughter that the
Welsh had never before experienced. After this, King
Edward, to prevent any more rebellious attempts of the
Welsh, cut down all the woods in Wales, wherein, in any
time of danger, they were wont to hide and save themselves.
For a farther security, he repaired and fortified all the
castles and places of strength in Wales, and built the castle
of Beaumaris, in the isle of Anglesey, and having thus put
all things in a settled posture, and punished those that had
been the occasion of the death of Roger de Puleston, he
returned with his army into England. As soon as the king
had quitted Wales, Madoc, who, as it is said before, was
chosen captain by the men of North Wales, gathered some
forces together and came to Oswestry, which immediately
surrendered to him : and then meeting with the Lord
Strange near Knockin, who with a detachment of the
marchers came to oppose him, he gave him battle, van-
quished his forces, and ravaged his country. The like
success he obtained in a second engagement against the
marchers ; but at last they brought together a very great
number of men, and met Madoc marching towards Shrews-
bury, upon the hills of Cefn Digolh, not far from Caurse
castle,* where, after a bloody fight on both sides, Madoc

was
* It is said by others that Madoc was delivered up to Edward by his own army.

HISTORY OF WALES. 273

was taken prisoner, and his army vanquished and put to
flight. He was then sent to London, and there sentenced
to remain in perpetual imprisonment in the Tower,* though
others affirm that Madoc was never taken, but that after
several adventures and severe conflicts, whereby the Welsh
were reduced to great extremities, he came in and sub-
mitted himself to the king, who received him upon condition
he would not desist from the pursuit of Morgan, captain of
the men of Glamorganshire, till he brought him prisoner
before him. Madoc having performed this, and the whole
country being peaceable and undisturbed, several hostages
from the chief nobility of Wales for their orderly and quiet
behaviour were delivered to the kin<r, who disposed of them
by placing them in divers castles in England, where they
continued in safe custody till the end of the war which was
soon afterwards commenced with Scotland.

Tn the 29th year of King Edward's reign, the prince of A. D. 1301.
Wales came down to Chester, and received homage of all
the freeholders in Wales as follows :— Henry Earl of Lan-
caster, for Monmouth; Reginald Grey, for Ruthyn; Foulke
Fitzwarren, for his lands; the Lord William Martyn, for
his lands in Cemaes; Roger Mortimer, for his lands in
Wales; Henry Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, for Rhos and Rhy-
fonioc; Robert Lord Montalt, for his lands; and Gruffydh
Lord of Poole, for the lordship of Powys. At the same
time paid their homage Tudor ap Grono, of Anglesey;
Madoc ap Tudor, Archdeacon of Anglesey; Eineon ap
Howel, of Caernarvon ; Tudor ap Gruffydh ; Lhewelyn ap
Ednyfed ; Gruffydh Fychan, son of Gruffydh ap lorwerth ;
Madoc Fychan d'Englefield ; Lhewelyn, Bishop of St.
Asaph ; and Richard de Pulesdon ; which last-named
person, in the twelfth year of King Edward, was constituted
sheriff of Caernarvon for life, with the stipend of forty
pounds sterling yearly. At the same place, G nifty dh ap
Tudor, Ithel Fychan, Ithel ap Blethyn, with many more,
did their homage. Then the prince came to Ruddlan,
where the Lord Richard de Sutton, Baron of Malpas, did
homage and fealty for the said barony of Malpas. Thence
the prince removed to Con way, where Eineon bishop of
Bangor, and David abbot of Maynan, did their homage ; as
did Lewis de Felton, son of Richard Felton, for the lands
which his father held of the prince in Maelor Saesneg, or
English Maelor. John Earl Warren swore homage for the
lordships of Brornfield and Yale, and for his lands in Hope-
Dale,
T

* Welsh Chron. p. 381.

274 HISTORY OF WALES.

Dale, at London, in the chapel of the Lord John de
Kirkby, who was some time bishop of Ely ; as also a while
after, Edmund Mortimer, for his lands of Ceri and
Cydewen.

Besides all these, there paid homage to the prince of
Wales, at Chester, Sir Gruffydh Llwyd, son of Rhys ap
Gruffydh ap Ednyfed Fychan, a stout and valiant gentle-
man, though not very fortunate, and as Florus says of
Sertorius, he was magnce quidem, sed calamitosce. virtu tis.
He was knighted by King Edward the First, upon his
bringing the first news of the queen's safe delivery of a son
at Caernarvon castle, the king holding then a parliament at
Ruddlan. This Sir Gruffydh continued for some time on
the best terms with the king of England, but observing at
length the intolerable oppression and tyranny exercised by
the English officers, especially by Sir Roger Mortimer,
Lord of Chirk and Justice of North Wales, towards his
countrymen the Welsh, he became so much concerned and
discontented at these unwarrantable practices, that he
broke out into open rebellion against the English ; and the
better to effect what he purposed, he treated with Sir
Edward Bruce, brother to Robert, then king of Scotland,
who had conquered Ireland, to bring or send over some
forces to assist him in his design against the English.

Nothing, however, was concluded upon, and the whole
treaty came to nothing : yet Sir Gruffydh, though without
any hopes of assistance from the Scots, would not lay aside
what he had once undertaken; and therefore, having ga-
thered all the forces he could, he commenced a desperate
warfare, and almost in an instant over-ran all North Wales
and the Marches, seizing upon the various castles and
strongholds through the country: but all this was to no
purpose ; for as the most violent storm is quickly over, so
Sir Gruffydh's army became spent, and then being met
with by a strong detachment of English, his party was
easily discomfited, and himself taken prisoner.

A. D. 1322. The same year, being the 15th of the reign of King
Edward the Second, his eldest son Edward, born at Wind-
sor, in a parliament holden at York was created Prince of
Wales, Duke of Aquitaine, and Earl of Chester. This
prince succeeded his father in the kingdom of England, by
the name of Edward the Third, one of the greatest and
most powerful monarchs that ever sat upon the English
throne.

1343. Edward, born at Woodstock, eldest son and heir to King
Edward the Third, was created Prince of Wales upon the

12th

HISTORY OF WALES. 275

12th day of May, in the 17th year of his father's reign,
being then about fourteen years of age. He was a prince of
incomparable qualifications, but so much superior in martial
affairs, that upon account of the several actions he was en-
gaged in, and the circumstance of his wearing black armour,
he was always mentioned by the name of Black Prince. He
took John the French king prisoner at the battle of Poic-
tiers, and in a most signal manner defeated the French
army in the battle of Cressy. He did not live to enjoy the
crown, but died one year before his father in the forty-sixth
year of his age ; no prince was in his life-time more beloved,
nor after his death more lamented by the English nation ;
and had he lived to ascend the throne, no one doubted but
that he would have exceeded, as to all qualifications, the
most glorious renown of the greatest of his ancestors.

In the time of Edward the Third lived Sir Tudor
Vaughan ap Grono, descended lineally from Ednyfed
Vaughan, a person as to estate, power, and interest, one of
the chief in North Wales. Upon some motive, either of
ambition or fancy, he assumed to himself the honour of
knighthood, requiring all people to call and style him Sir
Tudor ap Grono, as if he had prognosticated and foreseen,
that out of his loins should arise those that should have
power to confer that honour. King Edward, being in-
formed of his unparalleled presumption, sent for Sir Tudor,
and asked him with what confidence he durst invade his
prerogative, by assuming the degree of knighthood without
his authority : Sir Tudor replied, that by the laws and
constitution of King Arthur, he had the liberty of taking
upon himself that title, in regard he had those three qualifi-
cations, which whosoever was endued with, could by those
laws claim the honour of a knight. First, he was a gentle-
man : secondly, he had a sufficient estate : and thirdly, he
was valiant and adventurous; adding this withal, "If my
valour and hardiness be doubted of, lo, here I throw down
my glove, and for due proof of my courage, I am ready to
fight with any man, whatever he be." The king, approving
and liking well the man's boldness and resolution, was
easily persuaded to confirm the honour of knighthood upon
him. From this Sir Tudor was lineally descended Henry
the Seventh, king of England, who was the son of Edmund
Earl of Richmond, the son of Sir Owen Tudor, son to
Meredith, the son of this Sir Tudor ap Grono.

After the death of the Black Prince, his son Richard,
born at Bourdeaux in France, being but ten years of age,

was
T 2

276 HISTORY OF WALES.

was created prince of Wales at Havering-at-Boure, on the
A.D. 1377. twentietli day of November, and in the fiftieth year of the
reign of his grandfather, Edward the Third, whom he suc-
ceeded in the crown of England.

Henry born at Monmouth, son and heir to Henry the
Fourth, King of England, upon the fifteenth of October, in
the first year of his father's reign, was created prince of
Wales at Westminster, who succeeded his father in the
English crown by the name of Henry the Fifth.

Whilst Richard the Second reigned, one Owen* ap
Gruflfydh Fychan, descended of a younger son of Gruffydh
ap Madoc Lord of Bromfield, excited great national interest.
This Owen had been educated in one of the Inns of Court,
where he became barrister at law, and was afterwards in
very great esteem and credit, served King Richard, and
continued with him at Flint Castle, till at length the king
was taken by Henry Duke of Lancaster. Between this
Owen and Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthyn there happened
much difference touching a common lying between the
lordship of Ruthyn, whereof Reginald was owner, and the
lordship of Glyndyfrdwy in the possession of Owen, whence
he borrowed the name of Glyndwr.f During the reign of

Richard

* He was the son of Gruffydh Fychan ap Gruffydh o Rnddalt ap Madog Fychan ap
Madog Glof ap Gruffydh Varwn Gwyn Arglwydd Dinas Bran ap Madog ap Gruffydh
Maelor ap Madog ap Meredydd ap Bleddjn ap Cynvyn, Prince of Powys. His mother
was named Helen, and was the eldest daughter of Thomas ap Lhewelyn, a lineal
descendant of Rhys ap Tewdwr, Prince of South Wales, hy Eleanor G»">ch, daughter of
Philip ap Ivor, Lord of Iscoed, in Cardiganshire, by Catherine, daughter of the last
Lhewelyn, hy Eleanor, daughter of Simon de Montford.

f Mr. Pennant describes the estate to which Owen Glyndwr retired, as situate in the
valley of the Dee, three miles below Corwen, and states, that the spirited chieftain was
there visited by lolo Goch, and gives the Bard's description (in his invitation poem) of
Sycbarth, the seat of Glyndwr, as referring to the above estate. *' lolo Goch," he says,
" the celeb. ated poet of this period resided here for some time. He came, on a pressing
invitation from Owain, who, knowing the mighty influence of this order of men over the
ancient Britons, made his house, as lolo says, a sanctuary for bards. He made them the
instruments of his future preparations, and to prepare the minds of the people against the
time of his intended insurrection. From lolo I borrow the description of the seat of the
chieftain when it was in full splendour. He compares it in point of magnificence to
Westminster Abbey ; and informs us, that it had a gate house, and was surrounded with
a moat; that within were nine halls, each furnUhed with a wardrobe, I imagine filled
with the clothes of his retainers, according to the custom of those days. Near the house,
on a verdant bank, was a wooden house, supported on posts and covered with tiles : it
contained four apartments, each subdivided into two, designed to lodge the guests. Here
was a church, in form of a cross, with several chapels. The seat was surrounded with
every convenience for good living and every support to hospitality ; a park, warren, and
pigeon house; a mill, orchard, and vineyard; and fish-pond, filled with pike and
gwyniads — the last introduced from the lake at Bala ; a heronry, which was a concomitant
to the seat of every great man, supplied him and his guests with game for the sport of
falconry. A place still remains that retains the name of his park: it extends about a mile
or two beyond the scite of his house, on the left-hand of the valley. The vestiges of the
house are small ; the moat is very apparent ; the measurement of the area it inclosed is

HISTORY OF WALES. 277

»

Richard the Second, Owen, as being a courtier, and in no
mean esteem with the king, overpowered Reginald, who was
neither so well befriended at court, nor so much beloved in
the country as Owen was ; but after King Richard had been
deposed, the scene was altered, and Reginald being then
better befriended than Owen, entered upon the common,
which occasioned Owen, in the first year of Henry the
Fourth, to make his complaint in parliament against him,

for

46 paces by 26 paces. There is the appearance of a wall on the outside, which was
continued to the top of a great mount, on which stood the wooden house. On the other
side, but at a greater distance, 1 had passed by another mount of the same kind, called
Hendom, which probably might have had formerly a building similar to that described
by the bard. This, perhaps, was a station of a guard, to prevent surprise or insult from
the English side. He had much to apprehend from the neighbouring fortress of Dinas
Bran and its appendages, possessed by the Earl of Arundel, a strenuous supporter of the
house of Lancaster. The bard speaks feelingly of the wine, the ale, the braget, and the
white bread, nor does he forget the kitchen, nor tire important officer the cook ; whose
life (when in the foyal service) was estimated by our laws at a hundred and twenty-six
cows. Such was the hospitality of this house, that the place of porter was useless, nor
were locks or bolls known. To sum up all, no one could be hungry or dry at Sycharth,
the name of the place. The bard pays all due praise to the lady of the house and her
offspring."

A gwraig orau o'r gwragedd'!
Gwynn y myd, o'i gwin a'i medd.
Merch eglur, Llin marchawglyw,
Urddol, hael, o reiol ryw.
A'i blant, a ddeuant bob ddau
Nythod teg o bennaethau.

His wife .the best of wives !

Happy am I in her wine and methrglin.

Eminent woman of a knightly family,

Honorable, beneficent, noble.

His children come in pairs, —

A beautiful nest of chieftains.

The Reverend Walter Davies, in an interesting notice of the parish of Llausilin, states,
4hat Mr. Pennant is incorrect as to the loco-position of the Sycharth of lolo Goch. He
says that " Sycharth,1' the seat of Owain Glyndwr, described by lolo Goch, is in the
parish of Llansilin, about 12 miles to the south by east of Glyndy/rdwy. As Owain was
baron of two lordships, no one will deny his having a seat in each; one on the Dee, in
Glyndyfrdwy, the other on the Cynllaith, in this parish. The only question to be
decided is — « In which of the two mansions the chieftain resided when he was visited by
the bard who wrote the poem so fully descriptive of tire house and its appendages? The
scite of his seat in Llansilin has been called Sycharth time out of mind, and is not known
by any other name: the whole township is called Sycharth in every court leet, and in
every parochial document. The scite of his -residence in Glyndyfrdwy, or the moat
surrounding it, is called Pwll Eingl. Since the publication of Mr. Pennant's tour through
Wales in the year 1773, the idea may have been considerably circulated, that this spot at
Pwll Eingl must have been the Sycharth described by loloGofh, as it was never suspected
that the illustrious chieftain had any other baronial mansion than that in the valley
which gave him his surname of .Glyndyfrdwy, and contractedly Glyndwr. At both
places the scite is surrounded by a moat : on the Dee the area enclosed by it is 46 paces
by 26 paces. " It is not on a tumulus .but the ground is a little raised." At Sycharth
the scite is a circle of 30 paces diameter, on the summit of an artificial tumulus, which is
surrounded by a moat, six yards wide and about the same in depth from the top of the
mound. To the west, bordering on the moat, is a propugnaculum (or rampart), about 300

paces

278 HISTORY OF WALES.

for thus divesting him of his right. No redress being found,
the bishop of St. Asaph wished the lords to take care, that
by thus slighting his complaint, they did not irritate arid
provoke the Welsh to an insurrection, to which some of the
lords replied, that they did not fear those rascally bare-
footed people. Glyndwr therefore perceiving how his peti-
tion was slighted in parliament, and finding no other method
to redress himself, having several friends and followers, put
himself in arms against Reginald, and meeting him in the
field, overcame and took him prisoner, and spoiled his
lordship of Rnthyn. Upon this many resorted to him from
all parts of Wales, some thinking him to be in as great
favour now as in King Richard's days ; others persuading
him that now the time was come when the Britons by his
means might again recover the honour and liberties of their
ancestors. Reginald being thus kept prisoner, was very
severely treated by Owen, to terrify him into compliance
with his rebellious proceedings, and was not permitted to
have his liberty until ten thousand marks were paid for his
ransom, whereof six thousand were to be paid upon the
feast of St. Martin, in the fourth year of Henry the Fourth ;
and he was also to deliver up his eldest son with some other
persons of quality as hostages for the remainder. The king,
at the humble suit of Reginald, seeing no other way for his
enlargement, acceded thereto, authorising Sir William de

Roos,

paces from point to point and about 30 paces over, for the purpose of defending the
bridge over the moat when necessary ; the whole on the summit of a natural round
hillock shelving on all sides. « On the Dee, adjoining the scite of the palace, are two
inclosures; one is called Pare Isa, the other Pare. The Pare Isa is small, but the other
Pare is from 70 to 80 acres. In Cynllaith, the next house to Sycharth, on the south-east,
is a place called Pare Sycharth, with a far.m attached to it. This is at the southern end
of an extensive wood, which (occupies the escarpment of a rocky hill, called Pare
Sycharth, and may be the parccwning (the rabbit warren) of the bard. At the northern
end of the same wood are a few houses called Pentre y Cwn, where the master of the
buck-hounds to his barony resided, also his assistants. At Sycharth there is, on the
rivulet jCynliaith, close at the foot of the hillock, whereon the palace stood, a mill, formerly
called Melin Sycharth, but, owing to the grist-mill being lately converted into a fulling-
miJl, it is now called Pandy-Sycharth. On the Dee there are no traces of fish-ponds; at
Sycharth, between the palace and the wood, the ichnography of two fish-ponds, one above
the other, is still visible, though now much filled with an accumulation, in a state of transi-
tion from aquatic vegetables into an imperfect peat : this matter is several feet deep on
the original base of the ponds. The water could not be very abundant ; and what
formerly supplied the ponds has now been diverted uito other channels by the operation
of draining. I trust that it will now be conceded by our neighbours on the banks of the
Dec that Owain Glyndwr was, at least, an inhabitant of Cjinllaith ; especially at the time
he was visited by lolo Goch, who, in after times, by his war songs, roused the hero and
his countrymen to arms. How long his mansions stood at Glyndyfrdwy and Cynllaith
after the fall of the owner is not known ; as they were of timber, and not inhabited, they
must soon have fallen to decay. There are no vestiges at either place. The scite at
Sycharth has of late been ploughed many times, without having any relics discovered.
A few nails and fragments of stones, bearing the marks of ignition, are the only remains
that I saw. It is not probable that the house was burned, as the ploughed soil contains
no fragments of charcoal.

HISTORY OF WALES. 279

Roos, Sir Richard de Grey, Sir William de Willoughby, Sir
William le Zouche, Sir Hugh Huls, as also John Harvey,
William Vans, John Lee, John Langford, Thomas Payne,
and John Elnestow, to treat with Owen and his council, and
to determine as to what they should conceive most expedient
and necessary to be done for his redemption : whereupon,
they consenting to give the sum demanded by Glyndwr for
his deliverance, the king gave licence to Robert Braybroke
bishop of London, as also to Sir Gerard Braybroke the
father, and Sir Gerard the son, then feoffees of divers lord-
ships for this Reginald, to sell the manor of Herteleigh, in
the county of Kent, towards the raising of that money : and
the better to enable him to pay so great a fine, the king was
pleased to grant, that whereas it was enacted, that such
persons who were owners of lands in Ireland, and did not
there reside, should for such their neglect forfeit two parts
of the profits of them to the king ; that notwithstanding this
act, he should forfeit nothing for non-residence there during
the term of six years next ensuing.

This success over the Lord Grey, together with the
numerous resort of the Welsh to him, and the favourable
interpretation of the prophecies of Merlin, which some con-
strued to the advantage of Owen, made the swelling mind of
Glyndwr overflow its banks, and gave him some hopes of
restoring the dominion of this island again to the Britons.
Wherefore he attacked the Earl of March, who met him
with a numerous party of Herefordshire men; and when
they came in contact, the Welshmen proved too powerful,
and having killed above a thousand men of the English,
they took the Earl of March prisoner. King Henry, upon
this, was frequently requested to ransom the Earl, but to no
purpose ; for whether by reason that Mortimer had a better
title to the crown than himself, he being the next heir in
blood after King Richard, who was as yet living, or because
of some other private reason, the king would never give ear
to any proposal for his redemption, alleging that he wilfully
threw himself into the hands of Glyndwr. About the
middle of August, however, to correct the presumptuous
attempts of the Welsh, the king went in person with a great
army into Wales ; but by reason of the extraordinary con-
tinuance of bad weather, which some attributed to the magic
of Glyndwr, he was glad to return safe.

The Earl of March perceiving that he was not likely to
obtain his liberty by the means of King Henry, either out of
compliance, by reason of his tedious captivity, or on account
of affection to the young lady, agreed to take part with

Owen

280 HISTORY OF WALES.

Owen against the King of England, and to marry his
daughter; with them joined the Earl of Worcester, and his
brother the Earl of Northumberland, with his son the valiant
Lord Percy ; who conspiring to depose the King of Eng-
land, in the house of the archdeacon of Bangor, by their
deputies divided the realm amongst them, causing a
tripartite indenture to be made, and to be sealed with each
one's seal : by which covenant all that country lying between
the Severn and the Trent, southward, was assigned to the
Earl of March ; all Wales, and the lands beyond the Severn,
westward, were appointed to GJyndwr; and all from the
Trent northward to the Lord Percy. This was done (as
some said) through a foolish credit they gave to a vain
allegorical prophecy, as though King Henry was the exe-
crable mouldwarp, and they three the dragon, the lion, and
the wolf which should pull him down, and distribute his
Jdngdom among themselves. After they had exhibited
articles of their grievances to King Henry, and divulged
their reasons for taking up arms, they at length marched
with all their power towards Shrewsbury to fight the king
and his forces, depending mainly upon the arrival of Glyn-
dwr and his Welshmen : but the matter was gone so far,
that whether he came in or no they must fight, and so both
armies being confronted, the king's party prevailed, young
Percy being slain upon the spot, and besides most of the
English of quality, Douglas, who with a party of Scotch
had come to the aid of the confederates, was taken prisoner,
but afterwards honourably set at liberty by the intercession
of the prince of Wales. In the mean time the Earl of
Northumberland was marching forward with a great
party from the North; but the king having settled mat-
ters about Shrewsbury, proceeded to York, and sending
to him to lay down his arms, he voluntarily submitted and
dismissed his forces. Then the king, returning from York-
shire, determined to pass over to North Wales to chastise
the presumptuous practices of the disobedient Welsh, who,
after his departure from Shrewsbury, had made inroads
into the marches, and done much injury to his English
subjects; but other business of greater consequence inter-
vening, he detached his son the prince of Wales, who took
the castle of Aberystwyth, which was soon again retaken by
Owen Glyndwr, who placed in it a strong garrison of
Welshmen. In the battle of Huske, fought upon the
fifteenth of March, the Welsh received a very serious blow
from the prince's men, Glyndwr's son being taken prisoner,
jbesides fifteen hundred others taken and slain. After this,

we

HISTORY OF WALES. 281

hear little of Glyndwr, excepting that he continued to vex
and harass the English upon the marches, to the tenth year
of King Henry's reign, when he is stated to have miserably
ended his life; being, as Hollingshed reporteth, towards
his latter days, driven to such extremity, that, despairing of
all comfort, he fled and lurked in caves and other the most
solitary places, fearing to shew his face to any creature, till
at length being starved for hunger and lack of sustenance,
he miserably ended his life.*

These rebellious practices of Glyndwr, highly exasperated
King Henry against the Welsh, insomuch that several
unmerciful laws were enacted, relating to Wales, which in
effect destroyed all the the liberties of the Welsh subjects.
They were made incapable of purchasing any lands, or to
be elected members of any county or borough, and to
undertake any office, whether civil or military, in any town
incorporated. If any suit at law happened betwixt an
Englishman and a Welshman, the former could not be
convicted, but by the sentence of an English judge, and the
verdict of an English jury ; besides that any Englishman
who married a Welshwoman was thereby forthwith dis-
franchised from all the liberties of an English subject. It
was further enacted, that no Welshman should be in
possession of any castle, or other place of strength, and that
no victuals or armour should be brought into Wales, with-
out a special warrant from the king or his council ; and
further, that no Welshman was capable of undertaking the
office of justice, chamberlain, sheriff, or any other place of
trust in any part of Wales, notwithstanding any patent or
license heretofore given to the contrary : these, with many
other most rigorous and unjust laws, particularly that forbid-
ding any Welshman to bring up his children to learning, or
to bind them apprentices to any trade or occupation, were
enacted by the king against the Welsh; so that nothing
appeared to satisfy his displeasure, but that a whole nation
should be wrongfully oppressed, for the fault and mis- „

carriage of one person. It might have been supposed that
this was not a politic method of securing a nation in its
allegiance, which, upon slighter affronts, had been ac-
customed to defend its privileges ; and, therefore, the quiet
disposition of the Welsh about this time has been attributed
to the moderation of Henry the Fifth, who within a little
time succeeded his father in the crown of England.

Contemporary

* There is, however, good authority for believing that Owain, passing his time in,
seclusion, ended his days with one of his daughters, who was married and resided in the
marches of South Wales, on the Herefordshire border.

282 HISTORY OF WALES.

Contemporary with Glyndwr was Sir David Gam, (so called
because he had but one eye,) the son of Lhewelyn ap Howel
Vaughan, of Brecknock, by Mawd, the daughter of lefan ap
Rhys ap Ifor of Elvel. He was a staunch partizan of the
Duke of Lancaster, and for that reason became a mortal
enemy to Glyndwr, who having been educated, as before
stated, at one of the inns of Court, was preferred to the
service of King Richard the Second, who, as Walsingham
says, made him his Scutifer, or shield-bearer: and being
informed that his master Richard was deposed and mur-
dered, and withal being provoked by several wrongs and
affronts done him by his neighbour the Lord Grey, of
Ruthyn, whom King Henry greatly countenanced, and
looking upon Henry as an usurper, he caused himself to be
proclaimed Prince of Wales. To give a better colour to
the matter, he feigned himself to be descended, by a
daughter, from Lhewelyn ap Gruffydh, the last prince;
whereas, in truth, he came paternally but from a younger
brother of the house of Powys : and, as ambition has no
moderation, so Glyndwr for a time acted the part of a
prince, and summoned a parliament to meet at
Machynlleth,* whither the nobility and gentry of Wales
appeared,, and among the rest Sir David Gam, but not
upon the same design with the rest, for it was his intention
in this meeting to murder Glyndwr : but the plot being
discovered, and Sir David secured, he would have been
immediately executed, had not Glyndwr's best friends, and
the greatest supporters of his cause, pleaded in his behalf,
by whose intercession he was prevailed upon to grant Sir
David both his life and liberty, on condition he would ever
after continue true and loyal to him. Sir David promised
very loudly, but with the reservation never to perform ; for
as soon as he came to his own country, where he was a
person of very considerable sway and interest, he greatly
annoyed and molested those that in any way favoured or
adhered to Glyndwr. While Sir David lay in prison at
Machynlleth, for his attempt against Owen's life, this
Englyn was made upon him.

Dafydd Gam dryglam dreigl, iti yn wan frwydr,

Fradwr Rissiart Bhrenin,

Llwyr y rhoes Diawl (hawn hwyl Flin

Y fath ystad) ei fys ith Din.

i. e. David Gam thou wilt be a wanderer and an ill end

will

* The building, now converted into a stable, in which this memorable synod was
convened, is still to be seen.

HISTORY OF WALES. 283

will come to tliee. Thou wilt be weak in battle, thou
traitor to King Richard. So eagerly vexatious in thy
station that the devil wholly entered thy heart.

Glyndwr having received information that Sir David
Gam, contrary to the promise he had made at his release,
endeavoured by all means to destroy his interest among the
Welsh, entered the marches, and, among other tokens of his
indignation, burned the house of Sir David, and as the
report goes, calling to him one of Sir David's tenants, spake
to him thus merrily in verse : —

O Gvveli di wr coeh Gam
Yn ymofyn y Girnigwen
Dywed ei bod hi Tan y Lan
A nod y glo ar ei Phenn.

i. e. If thou seest a red-haired, squint-eyed* man looking
for the lost sheep, tell him she is below the hill, and he may
know her as she is marked with fire.

But Sir David had the good fortune to escape his
vengeance, and was constrained to retire to England, where
he lived for the most part at court, till the death of Glyn-
dwr.

When King Henry the Fifth went with an army to France
against the French king, Sir David Gam brought into his
service a numerous party of stout and valourous Welshmen,
who upon all occasions evinced their courage and resolution.
In the battle of Agincourt, news being brought to the king
that the French army was advancing towards him, and that
they were exceedingly numerous, he detached Captain
Gam, to observe their motions, and to review their number.
The Captain, having narrowly eyed the French, found them
to be twice the number of the English, but not being in the
least dismayed at such a multitude, he returned to the king,
who enquiring of him what the number of the French might
be, he made answer, " An't please you my liege, they are
enough to be killed, enough to run away, and enough to be
taken prisoners." King Henry was well pleased, and much
encouraged with this resolute and undaunted answer of Sir
David, whose tongue did not express more valour than his
hands performed: for in the heat of battle, the king's
person being in danger, Sir David charged the enemy
with that eagerness and masculine bravery, that they were
glad to give way, and thus secured the king, though with
the loss of much blood, and also with the loss of his life,

himself

* Squint-eyed is Gam in Welsh, from which he took his name, and his family continues
it to this day, and all squint with one eye. Sir David Gam was the person whom Shak-
speare described in the character of Captain Fluelin. — Note to the original edition.

284 HISTORY OF WALES.

himself and his son-in-law Roger Vaughan, with his kins-
man Walter Llwyd of Brecknock, having received their
mortal wounds in that encounter. When the king heard of
their condition, and that they were past all hope of recovery,
he came to them, and in recompense of their good services,
knighted them all three in the field, where they soon after
died ; and thus ended the life, but not the fame, of the
signally valiant Sir David Gam.

Edward of Westminster, the sole issue of that unfortunate
prince King Henry the Sixth, by Margaret,, the daughter
of Rayner Duke of Anjou, and titular king of Jerusalem,
Sicily, and Arragon, was created Prince of Wales, in a
parliament held at Westminster on the fifteenth day of
March, in the thirty-second year of his father's reign.
When the battle was lost at Tewkesbury, this young prince
purposed to have made his escape by flight, but being
unfortunately taken, and brought to the presence of King
Edward the Fourth, who then sat upon the throne, he made
such resolute and unexpected replies that he smote him on
the mouth with his gauntlet ; and then tvis brother Richard
(the Crook-back) ran him into the heart with his dagger.*

Edward, born in the Sanctuary at Westminster, the
eldest son of King Edward the Fourth, was, after his
father's expulsion out of England, in the forty-ninth year of
King Henry the Sixth, created Prince of Wales and jCarl of
Chester, in the eleventh year of his father's reign. On the
death of Edward the Fourth, this young prince being then
at Ludlqw, in the marches of Wales, was immediately ,sent
for to London, and proclaimed king of England, but never
lived to be crowned; for his uncle Richard Duke of Glou-
cester, who was appointed his protector, most villainously
procured that he should be murdered, together with his
brother the Duke of York, and afterwards was himself
proclaimed and crowned king,

Edward the Fourth, in his wars against Henry the Sixth,
was very much assisted by the Welsh; in recompense of
which service he purposed to reform matters in Wales, so
that the intolerable oppression which they had hitherto
endured should be removed: to which end he meant to
establish a court within the said Principality, and consti-
tuted John bishop of Worcester president of the prince's
council in the marches ; who, together with Anthony Earl
of Rivers, sat in the town-hall of Shrewsbury, and consti-
tuted certain ordinances for the public good and tranquillity

of

* This account, the reader will observe, differs from that of the English historians in a
slight degree, inasmuch as they make the Duke of Clarence and others participators in
this murderous tragedy.

HISTORY OF WALES. 285

of that place: but the matter proceeded no farther, for the
troubles and disquietness of his kingdom coming heavily
upon him, and the brevity of his reign after his establish-
ment not permitting, he was forced to leave that to others
which he had himself intended to bring about.

Edward, born at Middleham, near Richmond, in the
county of York, the only son of King Richard the Third,
was at ten years of age created by his father Prince of
Wales, but he died soon after.

Arthur, the eldest son of King Henry the Seventh, born
at Winchester, was in the seventh year of his father's reign
created Prince of Wales. About the fifteenth year of his
age, being then newly married to Katherine the Infanta of
Spain, he was sent by his father into Wales, that by his
presence he might the better keep that country in awe.*
With him King Henry sent Dr. William Smith, afterwards
made Bishop of London, as president of his council, to-
gether with Sir Richard Pool, his chamberlain, Sir Henry
Vernon, Sir Richard Crofts, Sir David Philip, Sir William
Udal, Sir Thomas Englefield, Sir Peter Newton, and
others, to be his counsellors and directors in his manage-
ment of affairs; but the prince had not continued long
there before he fell sick at his castle at Ludlow, of which
indisposition he shortly after died, and wras buried with
great solemnity in the cathedral church of Worcester. The
creating of his brother Henry (Duke of York) Prince of
Wales in his stead was deferred for about the space of a
month, to discover whether the Lady Katherine was with
child by Prince Arthur : but when it was ascertained that
she had not conceived, on the eighteenth day of February,
in the nineteenth year of his father King Henry the Seventh's
reign, Henry Duke of York was created Prince of Wales.

King Henry the Seventh, being by his grandfather Owen
Tudor of Welsh descent, and having sufficiently experi-
enced the affection of the Welsh towards him, first of those
who, upon his first landing, opportunely joined him under
Sir Rhys ap Thomas, and then of those, who under the
command of Sir William Stanley, Lord of Bromfield, Yale,
and Chirkland, aided him in Bosworth Field, could not in
honour and equity but bear some regard to the miserable
state and condition of the Welsh under the English govern-
ment : and therefore this prudent prince, finding the calami-
ties of the Welsh to be insupportable, and seeing what
grievous and unmerciful laws were enacted against them by
his predecessors, took occasion to redress and reform the

same,

* Wokins, p. 789.

28G HISTORY OF WALES.

same, and granted to the Welsh a charter of liberty and
immunity, whereby they were released from the cruel op-
pression which, since their subjection to the English
government, they had most cruelly sustained. Seeing also
that the birth and quality of his grandfather (Owen Tudor)
was called in question, and that he was by many upbraided
of being of mean and ignoble parentage, King Henry
directed a commission to the Abbot of Lhan Egwest, Dr.
Owen Pool, Canon of Hereford, and John Kins:, Herald at
Arms, to make inquisition concerning the pedigree of the
said Owen ; who coming to Wales, made a diligent enquiry
into this matter, and by the assistance of Sir John Leyaf,
Guttyn Owen (Bardh), Gruffydh ap Lhewelyn ap Efan
Fychan, and others, in the consultation of the British books
of pedigrees, they drew up an exact genealogy of Owen
Tudor, which upon their return they presented to the king.

Edward, son to Henry the Eighth by the Lady Jane
Seymour, his third wife, was born at Hampton Court on
the twelfth of October; and upon the eighteenth of the said
month was created Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, and
Earl of Chester.

King Henry the Seventh had already abrogated those
intolerable laws which the former kings of England, particu-
larly Henry the Fourth, had made against the Welsh ; and
now, King Henry the Eighth, willing to make a complete
reformation of what his father had wisely begun, thought it
necessary, for the good and tranquillity of both nations, to
make the Welsh subject to the same laws and the same form
of government with the English. He understood that the
usual hostilities and depredations were still continued and
kept up by both sides upon the borders ; and though his
father had eased the yoke of the Welsh, yet he perceived
that it contributed but little towards the abolition of that
inveterate and implacable envy and animosity which raged
in the marches: therefore, to remedy this otherwise una-
voidable evil, he concluded that the only effectual method
was to incorporate the Welsh with the English, so that
they, being subject to the same laws, might equally fear the
A.D. 1536. violation of them. Accordingly, in the twenty-seventh year
of his reign, an Act of Parliament passed for that purpose,
which, together with another Act in the thirty-fifth year of
his reign, made a complete incorporation of the Welsh with
the English, which union has had that blessed effect that it
has in course of time dispelled all those unnatural differ-
ences which were previously so frequent and irreconcilable.

When the Reformation was first established in Wales it

was

HISTORY OF WALES. 287

was a great inconvenience to the common people, who were
nearly all unacquainted with the English tongue, that the
Bible was not transtated into their native language. Queen
Elizabeth was soon aware of the inconvenience which the
Welsh suffered for want of such a translation; and therefore,
in the eighth year of her reign, an Act of Parliament was A.D. 1569.
passed, whereby the Bishops of Hereford, St. David, St.
Asaph, Bangor, and Llandaff, were ordered to take care
that the Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments,
with the Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of
the Sacraments, should be truly and with precision trans-
lated into the British or Welsh tongue, and that the same
so translated, being by them perused and approved, should
be printed to such a number at least, as that every cathedral,
collegiate and parish church, and chapel of-ease, within
those dioceses where that tongue was vulgarly spoken,
might be supplied before the first of March, in the year
1576 : and from that time forward that the Welsh Divine
Service should be used in the British tongue in all places
throughout those dioceses, where the Welsh was commonly
spoken, after the same manner as it was used in the English
tongue ; and that the charge of procuring the said Bible
and Common Prayer should be equally apportioned betwixt
the parson and the parish, each of those two parties being
obliged to pay one-half of the expense ; and that the price
of the book should be set by the aforesaid bishops, or by
three of them at the least. This act of parliament was not
punctually observed ; for the Old Testament was wholly
omitted, and only the New, with the Book of Common
Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments, then trans-
lated, which translation was chiefly owing to Richard bishop
of St. David, who was assisted by William Salusbury, a
perfect critic in the Welsh tongue, and one excellently con-
versant in all British antiquities: but in the year 1588,
Dr. William Morgan, first bishop of Llandaff, and then of
St. Asaph, undertook the translation of the whole Bible;
and by the help of the Bishops of St. Asaph and Bangor,
Gabriel Goodman, Dean of Westminster, David Powel,
D. D. Edmund Price, Archdeacon of Merioneth, and
Richard Vaughan, he effectually finished it. This was of
great advantage to the Welsh, who could now read the whole
Scripture in their own native tongue ; by which means they
received a clearer demonstration of the corruptions of the
Church of Rome, when they saw many of their principles
apparently contradicting, and others not very firmly founded
upon, the Holy Scriptures: and on the other hand they

perceived

HISTORY OF WALES.

perceived the necessity and advantage of the Reformation,
for they easily discovered that the whole doctrine of the
Church of England was sound and orthodox, and that they
were now happily delivered from that popish slavery under
which their forefathers ignorantly laboured ; and therefore,
being convinced of the truth of their religion, they became,
and continued generally, very strict adherents to, and firm
observers of, the doctrine and discipline of this church.

Here, by the bye, I cannot but observe what a reverend
writer has lately insinuated, relating to the Christian religion
planted in Wales : for that learned person, in his funeral
sermon upon Mr. Gouge, would fain induce the world to
believe that Christianity was very corrupt and imperfect
among the Welsh, before it was purified by that (whom he
terms apostolical) man : whereas it is notoriously evident,
that since the Reformation was settled in that country, and
the Bible, with the Book of Common Prayer, was translated
into the Welsh tongue, no pla^e has been more exact in
keeping to the strict rubrick and constitution of the Church
of England, both as to the substance and form of worship.
But what may more truly be attributed to Mr. Gouge is,
that since his travels into Wales, and the propagating of his
doctrine among the ignorant of that country, dissent, which
before had scarcely taken root, hath as it were daily
increased.

Henry, eldest son of King James the First, being arrived
at the age of seventeen years, was created prince of Wales
on the thirtieth of May, in 1610, but he dying of a malig-
nant fever about two years after, his brother Charles, then
fifteen years of age, was created Prince in his room in 1615.
This new creation was celebrated in the town of Ludlow,
and in the city of London, with great triumph ; and the
more to honour this solemnity, the king made twenty-five
Knights of the Bath, all of them peers or the sons of peers;
and the Inns of Court, to express their joy, elected out of
their body forty of the principal gentlemen to perform
solemn justs and barriers, as in the tournaments of former
times.

Charles, eldest son of King Charles the First, by
Henrietta Maria, daughter to King Henry the Fourth of
France, was born May 29, 1630, and afterwards created
Prince of Wales.

Subsequent to this period, the title of Prince of Wales
has been borne by several of the British Princes when next
in succession to the Throne ; and having been borne by our
late most gracious Sovereign King George the Fourth, until

he

HISTORY OF WALES. 289

he commenced his reign on the death of his revered father,
which took place the 29th day of January, 1820, it has
since that period remained in abeyance.

Since the happy incorporation of the Welsh with the
English, the history of both nations as well as the people
is united; and therefore I shall not repeat that which is so
copiously and frequently delivered by the English his-
torians ; but shall conclude with Dr. Heylyn,^-" That since
the Welsh have been incorporated with the English, they
have shelved themselves most loyal, hearty, and affection-
ate subjects of the state; cordially devoted to their king,
and zealous in defence of their laws, liberties, and reli-
gion, as well as any of the best of their fellow -subjects."

TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTICES,

&c.

CAERNARVONSHIRE.

I HIS county is the most rugged and truly alpine district in
Wales : it is surrounded by the sea on all sides except the east,, where
it joins Denbighshire, and a part of the south contiguous to Meri-
onethshire. Its figure is very irregular, with a great peninsulated
point running out to the south-west or Irish sea, and separated from
Anglesea by the isthmus of Menai. The general surface of the
country is very mountainous, and the vales for the most part narrow,
with hills rising very abruptly from the skirts of small vallies into
stupendous mountains, intersecting each other in all directions, af-
fording, however, an ample sustenance for numerous herds of cattle
and sheep, which are fed in great numbers on the mountains, being
attended by their owners, who for the season reside in temporary huts,
wherein they make butter and cheese, which, with a little oatmeal
and the produce of the dairies, constitute their daily food. The
prospects around are rude and savage in the extreme, yet not entirely
destitute of some mixture of beauty, particularly the vales, which
admit the common varieties of wood, water, and meadow. In some
of the lakes are found the char, and the gwiniad (another alpine fish),
with many rare vegetables found on the most elevated parts of Snow-
don. Some parts of the county afford lead and copper, and some
excellent quarries of stone for hones and slates, while other parts are
celebrated for the produce of oats, barley, and black cattle, of which
vast numbers are exported annually ; together with great quantities
of fish, especially herrings, which are caught on the shores of the
county.

CAERNARVON, OR CAER YN ARVON,

Is the ancient Segontium of the Romans, mentioned by Antoninus as
a Roman station in the time of Constantine. Matthew Paris informs
us that the body of Constantius, the father of that emperor, was found
buried therein 1283. The town is situate in the parish of Llan-
beblig, a church dedicated to Saint Peblic, who lived about the
middle of the fifth century ; and here is a new chapel built, dedicated
to Saint Mary. The church is a large building in the form of a
cross, and is situate near the walls of Old Segontium, a short distance
to the south-east of the town. Richard the Second bestowed this

v 2 church

A TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

church, and the chapel of Caernarvon, on the nuns of Saint Mary's in
Chester, in consequence of their poverty.* In the church is an altar-
tomb to the memory of William Griffith, Esq. son of Sir William
Griffith, of Penrhyri, and his wife Margaret, daughter of John Wynn
ab Meredith, Esq. of Gwydir. The figures are in white marble, and
very well sculptured : he died Nov. 28, 1587, and she in 1593, when
the tomb was erected by her father. It is probable that the large
nouse called Plas Mawr, in the town of Caernarvon, was built by him,
as the initials of his name, W. G. and those of his wife, M. G. are
over the south-west door. It appears that Caer-Segorit (or Old
Caernarvon) was anciently the seat of the Princes of Wales, for King
Cadvan resided here in 650, where also Cadwallo his son, who was
so great a scourge to the Saxons, and his grandson Cadwaladr, suc-
cessively resided. Caradog also, and his son Octavius, who was
made Governor of Britain by Constantine the Great, resided here
prior to that time ; and Helen, wife of the Emperor Maximus,f and
daughter of the said Octavius, was born at Caer-Segont. Publicius,.
the founder of Llanbeblig, is said to have been the son of the said
Maximus and Helen ; and Cynan Meriadog, cousin to the said
Helen, succeeded his uncle Octavius as Duke of Cornwall. It is also
said that Prince Roderic resided here in A. D. 750. It is probable
that Old Caer yn Arvon, prior to the time of Edward the First, was
situate near Hen Waliau.

The town is built in the form of a square, and enclosed on three
sides by an embattled stone wall : the streets are at right angles with
the principal one, in which is the town hall. The chief object which
attracts our attention is the noble castle, the most magnificent in
Wales, built by Edward the First, and probably the town at the same
time, with the revenues of the see of York, then vacant. The castle
defends the town on the south, and has a narrow deep ditch in front
on the north side : in its west wall are three round towers, and two
more on each side, with a narrow gate or entrance, over which is
placed a bareheaded figure with flowing locks, holding in his left hand
a sword, which he draws with his right, or perhaps is sheathing, in
allusion to the termination of the Welsh war, and a defaced shield is
under his feet. This gate leads to a narrow oblong court : at the west
end is a polygon tower, with three hexagon towers above, on the
embattlements of which are eagles, whence it had the name of Eagle
Tower, which is the admiration of all lovers of architecture: the
eagles on the tower are supposed to be Roman, and to have been
found at Segontium by Edward. John de Havering was the first
governor, and Adam d& Wetenhall succeeded. The constable and
the captain had twenty-four soldiers allowed them for the defence of
the place : this small garrison was only during peaceable times. In
Cromwell's time, Captain Swanley, a parliament man, took the town.

In
* Pennant, and Sebright MSS. f Called by the Welsh Macsen Wledig.

TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 3

In 1644 the royalists retook the place ; finally General Mytton and
Colonels Mason, Carter, and Twisleton, retook it in 1648, when Sir
John Owen was defeated near Llandegai, after which North Wales
entirely submitted to the parliament. In the Eagle tower before
alluded to is a room eleven feet by seven, in which the unfortunate
Edward the Second, the first English Prince of Wales, was born on
the 25th of April, 1284. A passage only separates this room from
another semi-circular apartment, called the Nursery. On the south
side, next the river Seiont, are three hexagon and octagon towers,
with three others on the north ; to the east is a magnificent entrance,
with a lofty round arch, and towers communicating all round by noble
galleries, several of which are surrounded by small towers, peculiar
to this castle. In the north-east corner is a deep well, now nearly
filled up, having near it a round tower, formerly a dungeon. Such is
the external delineation of Caernarvon castle, founded on a rock, and
now almost entire. The outer walls are of white hewn stone, with an
edging of red about the corners and windows, which have a very
pretty effect. There were several English gentlemen introduced into
this town as governors and officers of the castle, by the Kings of
England, after the conquest, a few of whose posterity still remain.
Of this number, no doubt, were the Spicers, Pulestons, Bowmans,
and Bolds ; and the old houses where they lived still go by their
respective names, such as Plas Pilstwn, the present King's Head inn ;
Plas Bowman, the corner of Church-street ; and Plas Spicer, in
Church-street. The town of Caernarvon is increasing in size and
opulence : two large chapels and several new streets have lately been
built ; the Sportsman's Arms Inn and the New Hotel afford every
accommodation of elegance and convenience. The corporation, about
the year 1808, built an elegant town-hall and market-house in the
centre of the town. Very commodious hot and cold baths, with
reading rooms attached, have been recently erected by the Marquis of
Anglesea, who is mayor of the town, and constable of the castle for
life. This town is much frequented by strangers in the summer
season. On the outside of the town walls is a broad and pleasant
terrace along the side of the Menai, extending from the quay to the
north end of the town walls ; and in the evening it is a fashionable
promenade for persons of all descriptions.

The port of Caernarvon is rather dangerous, from the extensive
banks adjacent thereto ; but the harbour is very commodious, and
vessels of six or seven hundred tons ride in security. The quay is
also peculiarly convenient, as large vessels can ride close to it, and
deliver or take in their cargoes. The trade is annually considerably
increasing. Near the quay is the custom-house, well situated for
vessels trading in slates, of which many thousands are exported to
different parts of the empire, and procured from the quarries in the
mountains of Llanberis.

From

4 TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

From the top of a rock behind the hotel is a fine view of the town
and castle ; and on a clear day the Isle of Anglesea, Holyhead, and
Paris Mountains may be distinctly seen, like a good map before the
eyes. On the east end of the town is a large suburb, with a wide
street leading to the bridge and ditch, sided with two round towers,
and over the gate an assembly room. On the opposite side of the
river Seiont, about half a mile from the town, are the ruins of a
Roman fort, called Hen Waliau, with the walls entire on three sides,
built of rough stones strongly cemented together, ten feet high by
four thick, enclosing an area of about eighty yards from east to west ;
but the west side, which overhangs the steep bank of the river, has
no trace of a wall. The remains of a Roman road are still visible
from this place to Dinorwig, and a single stone bears the inscription
S. V. C. probably Segontium Urbis Constantine. Here Helen, the
wife of Constantius, had a chapel, and her name is preserved in a
well half a mile below On the river side. Near this place was found,
a few years ago, a pot full of coins, buried under a tree ; afterwards
there were found a large coin of Vespasian in July, 1821, a small
silver one of Anton ins Pius in 1808, and another silver one of Valerian
in 1827. Near Moel y Don is a large bed of a beautiful small-
grained white free-stone, which supplies this part of the country with
whet-stones : it is of the hardest kind, and, if used with oil, is little
inferior to the Turkey oil-stone.

On leaving Caernarvon we proceed in an easterly direction, and, at
the distance of about ten miles, pass through the village of Llanberis,
commonly called Nantberis : the church is dedicated to Saint Peris,
a saint and cardinal, who lived about the middle of the sixth century ;
he was the son of Helig ab Glanog, and retired here to lead a holy
life. There is a well near the church, called Ffynnon Peris, in which
ricketty children and scrofulous and rheumatic persons are bathed ;
and a poor woman, who lives in a cottage near the spring, has a few
pence given her by strangers for shewing one or two large trout which
she feeds in the well. The vale of Llanberis is straight, and nearly
of an equal breadth throughout, with two lakes or pools ; the
upper one is about a mile in length and half a mile broad, wherein
the char fish used to be caught, but the copper works, which are
carried on here to a great extent, have long since destroyed them.
The vale was formerly covered with wood, but at present few trees
remain, though within the memory of old people there wrere extensive
woods of oak ; and Leland, in his Itinerary, makes particular mention
of it. In the time of Howel Dda, Prince of Wales, in the year 940,
the whole county was nearly covered with wood; for we find it
ordered, in the Welsh laws framed by him, that whoever cleared away
the timber from any land should possess the ground so cleared for five
years, independent of the owner. The mountains also abounded in
rlrer, which continued in great numbers till the end of Henry the

Eighth's

TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. O

Eighth's reign. On a rocky eminence stands an old building, called
Dolbadarn Castle, consisting of a round tower of 26 feet in diameter
within, and also shewing a few fragments of the walls, and offices on
the summit of a steep hill. The construction of this castle evidently
proves it to be of British origin, perhaps as early as the sixth
century, being mentioned then as being in the possession of Mael-
gwyn Gwynedd, Prince of North Wales, during his contention with
the Saxons. In this fortress Owain Goch was confined twenty-six
years, for rebellion against -his brother, Llewelyn ab lorwerth. The
Earl of Pembroke took this castle from the Welsh in 1238, after a
short resistance. A little south of this place is a tremendous cataract,
called Ceunant Mawr, in height about sixty feet, from which precipi-
tates a mountain stream amid numerous rocks, until it falls into a deep
black pool below. North-east of the village is a high perpendicular
mountain, called Glyder Vawr : the ascent is very steep and tiresome,
because of numerous paths, continually obstructed .by rocks and wet,
which render the whole slippery and dangerous. This mountain is
acknowledged to be the most lofty in Caernarvonshire, Snowdon
excepted. In a flat, about half a mile up its ascent, is a small pool,
called Llyn y Cwn, or Pool of I?ogs, rendered remarkable by
Giraldus for a singular kind of trout, perch, and eels, which were all
monocular, i. e. wanting the left eye : but at present the pool seems
destitute of fish of any description. Near the above is Glyder
Vach, /having the summit covered with groups of columnar stones of
vast size, with others lying horizontally upon them. Several pieces
of lava have also been found here, which Mr. Pennant conjectures
.might have originated in some mighty convulsion of nature, which
probably left this mountain so rough and strangely disposed. A
Jlittle tojthe south ;of JLlanberis js

SNpwpON,

Jjhe etymology of the name of which mountain .has given rise to several
:cur,ious conjectures ; but Snowdon is evidently derived from the
Saxpns, .implying a snowy hill, or hill covered with snow, which is not
uncqmtnon ,herie eve^i in the month of June. Humphrey Lhwyd
maintains its signification to be eagles' rocks. ;The ingenious Mr.
Pennant derives it from a compound of Welsh words, as Creigiau'r
Eira, or snowy cliffs; and perhaps both have an equal claim to
originality. From the greatness of the object before us, it is almost
impossible to give an adequate description ; but according to the best
authorities, Snowdon is, from the quay at Caernarvon to the highest
peak, one thousand three hundred yards in perpendicular height
above the level of the sea, and chiefly composed of a very hard stone,
with large coarse crystal, a general attendant on alpine countries.
The Welsh have also a tradition, that these uncouth and savage
mountains formerly abounded with woods, and that they were felled

by

6 TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

by Edward the First, on account of affording a secure retreat to the
natives, and convenience for their detached and ambuscading parties.
This idea is confuted by Giraldus Cambrensis, in his description of
this mountain, written nearly one hundred years before the time of
Edward the First, which, besides, perfectly corresponds with its
present appearance. Sir John Wynne, in his History of the Gwydir
Family, says, " Snowdon was in ancient times a royal forest ;" and
still further asserts, that not only Nant-conway was wooded, but all
Caernarvon, Merioneth, and Denbigh shires, were originally but one
forest. This is evidently too general an assertion ; for according to
this author, Owen Glyndwr destroyed the whole in 1400. The
distance of the summit of Snowdon from Caernarvon is rather more
than ten miles, but from Dolbadarn Castle, in the vale of Llanberis,
where the ascent is gradual, a person mounted on a Welsh pony
may, without much difficulty, ride up nearly to the top. To accom-
plish this, the traveller should go from Caernarvon to Dolbadarn
Castle, and after keeping on the side of the lake turn to the left for
Ceunant Mawr, a noble cataract ; from thence ascend a mountain to
a vale called Cwm Brwynog, a very deep and fertile spot; from
thence pass through Bwlch y Cwm Brwynog : here the ascent
becomes very difficult, so that timid travellers are frequently obliged
to clamber on foot, till, by keeping to the right, they arrive at Llyn
Glas, Llyn Nadroed, and Llyn Coch, where the spaces between the
precipices form an agreeable isthmus, leading to a very verdant plain,
where the traveller rests for a short time. After this a smooth path
leads almost to the summit, called Y Wyddfa, or the Conspicuous,
which rises to a point, leaving a small space for a circular wall of loose
stones. The mountain from hence seems propped up by four buttresses,
between which are four deep Cwms or vallies, with three lakes, and
almost a boundless view, taking in a great part of the counties of
Chester and York, with other parts of the north of England, Scotland,
and Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Anglesea. From the same situa-
tion is a view of between twenty and thirty lakes, chiefly in this county
and Merionethshire : of mountains, let it suffice to say the most noted
are Moel y Wyddfa, Y Glyder, Carnedd David, and Carnedd
Llewelyn, which are properly British Alps, having lakes and rivers,
high and craggy precipices, covered with snow a considerable part of
the year, and produce similar plants. The hills appear, as it were,
heaped one on the top of the other ; for after climbing up one you
come to a valley, and most commonly to a lake, and passing by that,
ascend another, and sometimes a third or fourth, before you gain the
summit. The greater part of the rocks which compose these moun-
lains are schistose, hornblende, mica, granite, and porphyry, enclos-
ing considerable blocks of quartz. The plants and animals are nearly
the same as those found about Cader Idris.

To conclude, it may be said, with Mr. Bingley, that were the

traveller's

TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 7

traveller's expectation to soar above all former ideas of magnificence,
this mountain will infinitely surpass all conception, as it baffles all
description, for no colour of language can paint the grandeur of the
rising sun observed from this eminence, which is thus beautifully
described by Mr. Pennant :-—" I took much pains to see this prospect
to advantage : I therefore sat up up at a farm house on the west till
about twelve, and walked up the whole way. The night was remark-
ably fine and starry ; towards morn the stars faded away, and left a
short interval of darkness, which soon dispersed by the dawn of day
-=-r-the body of the sun appearing most distinct, with the rotundity of
the moon, before it arose high enough to render its beams too bril-
liant for our sight. The sea, which bounded the western part, was
gilt by its beams, at first in slender streaks, but at length it glowed
with redness. The prospect was disclosed to us, like the gradual
drawing-up of a curtain in a theatre. We saw more and more, till the
heat became so powerful as to attract the mists from the various
lakes, which in a slight degree obscured the prospect. The shadow
of the mountain was flung many miles, and shewed its bicapitated
form ; the Wyddfa making one, Crib y Distill the other head. The
day proved so excessively hot, that the journey cost me the skin of
the lower part of my face before I reached the resting place, after the
fatigue of the morning." Anothsr time, when Mr. Pennant was on
Snowdon, he says—*-" A vast mist enveloped the whole circuit of the
mountain. The prospect down was horrible : it gave an idea of
numbers of abysses, concealed by a thick smoke furiously circulating
around us : very often a gust of wind formed an opening in the
clouds, which gave a fine and distinct vista of lake and valley ; some-
times they opened only in one place, at others in many, at once
exhibiting a most strange and perplexing sight of water, fields, rocks,
or chasms, in fifty different places. They then closed at once, and
left us involved in darkness : in a small space they would separate
again, and fly in wild eddies round the middle of the mountains, rnd
expose in parts both tops and bases clear to our view. We descended
from this varied scene with great reluctance ; and before we reached
our horses, a thunder storm overtook us: its rolling among the
mountains was inexpressibly awful ; the rain uncommonly heavy ; so
that we re-mounted our horses, and gained the bottom with great
risque of being swept away by these sudden waters."

SNOWDON FOREST.

The Welsh princes were greatly attached to the amusements of the
field : hunting, fishing, hawking, and fowling, constituted their chief
pleasure, exercise, and amusement, and the Welsh court was for a
great part of the year migratory, or ambulatory ; that is, the Prince
with his attendants took his rounds, or made regular circuits through
the mountainous parts of Gwynedd, and provision was made by law

for

8 TOPOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

for the maintenance of his hounds, horses, and attendants, in the
neighbourhood of the Llys, or Palace. In these excursions Creigiau'r
Eiry,* or Snowdon forest, claimed his chief attention, and seemed to
have been the principal scene of attraction, as appears from a number
of pjaces still bearing the name of Llys, and the different castles and
manors in the neighbourhood of Snowdon which formerly belonged to
the Welsh princes. One of these, Llys yn Dinorwig, in the parish of
Llanddeiniolen,was conferred on Sir Gruffydd Llwyd, of Tregarnedd,
in Anglesea, by Edward the First, then at Rhuddlan Castle, when
he brought him the news of the birth of the first Prince of Wales of
the English line ; and the king's weir of Aberglaslyn, his mills of
Dwyvor in Eivionydd, and lands at Dolbenmaen, and the constable-
ship of Criccieth castle, were bestowed upon Sir Howel y Fywal (or
the Battle-axe), w7ho is reported to have taken John, the French king,
prisoner, and was knighted by the Black Prince at the battle of
Poictiers. The Welsh princes had also a seat and castle at Aber,
where they frequently resided ; another near LJyniau Nantlli, in the
parish of Llanllyvni, called Bala Deulyn, where Edward the First
spent several days after his conquest of Wales. Besides these (Conve-
niences of hunting, this part of North